


Dark Paradise

by BayleyWinchester



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: (not eddie or stan), Book Elements, Brainwashing, Child Abuse, Dark, Dark Losers Club, Dark Richie Tozier, Dialogue Heavy, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier-centric, Extremely Dubious Consent, Hostage Situations, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Kidnapping, M/M, Murder, Other tags to be added, Past Child Abuse, Soft Eddie Kaspbrak, Stockholm Syndrome, Suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:08:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 17
Words: 35,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23925133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BayleyWinchester/pseuds/BayleyWinchester
Summary: Richie saw Eddie, fell in love with Eddie and kidnapped Eddie all in the same week.~“We’re meant to be. And I was serious about him not belonging here. No. Promise. Come on, he fucking wears sweaters. This town will eat him alive like it did to us and he will not come out the other side. I can promise you that, Stan, because we’ve seen it happen,” Richie pleaded, knowing it would get through to him. Stan made a face. They had. Many times. Children either ended up like them, Greta or Georgie.He nodded. “I’ll help you.”“You can think of it as an early birthday present."“You’re so stupid."
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, The Losers Club & The Losers Club (IT)
Comments: 153
Kudos: 369





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Français available: [Sombre paradis](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24128179) by [FrankBlack6](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrankBlack6/pseuds/FrankBlack6)



> This is a dark fic! Eddie is kidnapped which means that this dub/non-con even if he is contending. There is also mentions and scenes of murder and suicide. The Losers are involved in all of this. Please just take note of that.
> 
> [Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/49MCkFvrw5gJonJOmrRb9u?si=Vl3sTPeiT7e3pwvQxbduNw)

“I want him.”

Three simple words that completely changed Eddie Kasprak’s, Richie Tozier’s, and all the Loser's lives forever. 

“What are you talking about?” Beverly asked, taking a drag from her cigarette. All the Losers were leaning on Richie’s car, hanging out until the bell went to signal the start of the school day. Wednesday, which meant three more days until the weekend. And then another twenty weeks until the end of the school year, when they’d finally graduate. A student in their year walked past, sneering at them. Beverly flicked him off with a laugh. “Who’s him and why do you want him?”

“New kid. Eddie, don’t know his last name. He’s the cutest little shit I’ve ever seen.”

“Kaspbrak,” Bill supplied. “He’s in my math c-class.”

Richie tested the name out on his tongue. “I want him.”

“Have you spoken to him?” Ben asked.

“Nope. Not in any of my classes.”

“So how do you know that you want him?” Stan asked, batting Bev’s hands from his hair. “If you’ve never spoken to him?”

Sighing dramatically, Richie lent against the hood to stare at his friend. “There’s a connection there that’s too strong to ignore. We’re meant to be, I just know it! The cute little fucker is mine.”

“I can introduce him to you,” Beverly said. “He’s in my English class.”

Just then, Eddie came into his view. He was walking with two girls that Richie knew to be basic bitches. Why he, the sweetest boy Richie had ever seen, was walking with those girls, he didn’t know. Maybe it was because he was just so cute. They saw it too. Saw how he was just cute cute cute. They had to have him too, just like Richie. Well, they weren’t going to have him. Eddie Kaspbrak belonged to Richie Tozier. Even if it was just Richie who could understand that. 

“No. Don’t talk to him about me.”

The Losers looked at him in confusion, Ben asked: “why?” 

“Richie, what are you doing?” Beverly asked. 

“You said you wanted a pet, right? I can share.”

“What?” Stan sat up and stared at Richie, less confused now. Understanding. Shocked. 

“I want him,” Richie said as Eddie disappeared into the building. “All to myself. But, if you want, we can share. A little.”

Beverly finally got to tug at Stan’s hair. He just rolled his eyes. “How much are we going to be sharing?” She asked as if he was joking. As if she was just riffing with him like always. 

“He’ll be mine but you can see him. I’m not locking him in my basement. Clubhouse maybe.”

Another beat of silence before Bill forced out a laugh. “Right.”

“I’m serious.” Richie turned to look at them from where he had been staring at the door that he had walked in. All his friends, bar Mike who wasn’t there, were staring at him like he was absolutely insane. And maybe he was. Maybe he’d gone round the bend. But here was what Richie knew: he wanted Eddie, Eddie wanted him (he just didn’t know that yet, not his fault), no one else could have Eddie, Richie would do whatever he could to get him. Alone. All Richie’s. And the Losers’ if they wanted a turn. But mainly Richie’s. 

Stan shook his head, “no. This isn’t funny.”

“He could live in the clubhouse, right?” Richie asked, ignoring the shocked looks he was getting. “I mean we’ve stayed there overnight.”

“Richie,” Bill snapped. “This is s-s-so stupid! And it isn’t f-funny.” 

“I might see if I can talk to him beforehand. Just so he knows that I’m, like, a student here and not some crazy stalker or whatever. Not for long though, don’t want people thinking we’re friends.”

“That’s enough,” Stan said.

Bill nodded, “you s-sound crazy!”

Before replying, Richie crowded into their space. There weren’t many students left out in the carpark. But no one could overhear this part of the conversation. “I think you’ve all forgotten what I did for this group,” he sneered at them before smiling. “So, not that I want to do this, but you all owe me. Big. Like, my dick size big. And I am cashing in now. Which means that you’re going to help me do this.”

“What you did was one and done,” Stan argued. 

“Hardly. That’s going to follow me forever.”

“And kidnapping s-someone won’t?” 

“No.”

“And you were all involved, so if you don’t help me then I might. You know, tell someone what happened.”

Beverly cocked her head to the side and stared at Richie, didn’t speak for a moment and then nodded, saying; “I’m in. So long as you let me play as well.”

“The boy is so gay. So don’t be disappointed when he doesn’t, you know. I’m surprised no one in this shit fuck of a town has clocked it yet.”

“Not like that,” she rolled her eyes, hitting at his shoulder. 

Bill pushed off the car. “I’m not helping.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

He looked at Stan before looking back at Richie. A moment later and both of them walked away. Leaving Richie with Bev and Ben. He raised an eyebrow at Ben in question. “I think it’s a very bad thing to do. You have to be nice to him,” Richie nodded quickly. “If Bev’s in then so am I. But if I think that you’re hurting him then I won’t help you anymore. What you did before was justified. This is different.” He paused. “And yes, someone could live down there with some minor changes.” 

“What about Stan and Bill?”

Richie shrugged, “they’ll come around. What kind of things?”

“Nicer rug. A toilet or something. A better blanket.”

“What about a chain?”

Both paled but Ben still answered. “You’d need to bolt it into the wall. The back wall has a rock behind it, about an inch behind the dirt. That’d work.” 

“I’m ditching,” Richie said just as the bell went. “Going to get some stuff. Tell Stan and Bill to figure out what they’re going to do or -” Richie laughed and winked “-I’ll kill them. I’ll pick you guys up so we can go to the movies with Mike!” 

Beverly waved as Richie slid back into his car and started the engine. Ben nodded at him before they walked away as well. He hated seeing his friends walk away from him. Made him sad, like they weren’t ever going to come back. And that feeling was something that he didn’t want in his life. Soon Eddie wouldn’t be able to walk away and then, soon after, he wouldn’t want to walk away because he’d understand. 

The day that Eddie came to understand. That would be the best day of Richie’s life. He could already see it. When Eddie would exist to be with Richie. When he realized that they belonged together in a way that others didn’t. He couldn’t explain how he knew. But when he had seen Eddie walking home the night before, it had been like an explosion. Of love, of knowledge, of lust, of understanding. Eddie and Richie had something deeper. Something that Richie had never seen before. 

Once they were together they’d be so happy. Richie didn’t expect anything of Eddie. Not at first, especially. They would grow together. Both of them moulding to fit each other’s needs like any good and healthy couple. The fact that Richie had done all this, in the beginning, would be in the past almost as soon as Eddie saw what Richie saw. He’d understand why Richie had done it. Why it was necessary. Once they were happy together. 

Derry was not a big town but Richie didn’t have the time to go to Bangor. So he had to go to the town’s hardware shop. There were a few others in the store but no one paid Richie any attention as he walked around. He grabbed some thick chain, enough so Eddie could get everywhere in the clubhouse but not to the hatch, as well as some large bolts and an iron ring. If the cashier thought it was odd, he didn’t say anything. 

Next, he went to the tip. They had carpet in the clubhouse but it wasn’t thick and hardly kept the floor from being cold. If Eddie was going to be down there permanently, there needed to be an upgrade. And maybe Richie could get him some socks. Luckily there was a large roll of the stuff, practically new that he was able to get. Eddie was going to be so happy down there. Richie could see it now.

*~*

“This is s-so fucking ridiculous.”

“You actually want to do this?”

“I still don’t really get what’s going,” Mike admitted. 

“Nothing!” Richie defended. “I’m just going to take Eddie to the clubhouse so that he can be ours.” 

Bill and Stan, who had been borderline yelling at Richie ever since they had gotten in his car, sighed again. Richie really didn’t get the big deal. Eddie was perfect. He was bringing Eddie into the group. They’d all get him. This was a positive for them, Richie and Eddie! So why were they so anti the idea? It wasn’t like they’d be caught. No one would think that they had done anything bad. Lest of all Eddie. 

All of the Losers were standing in the car park of the movies, waiting until their movie started and discussing what Richie had done that day. Beverly flicked her lighter off and on again, “I, like I said, am in. So long as Eddie isn’t mistreated.”

“How is being kidnapped not being mistreated?” Stan asked. 

“Walk with me,” Richie demanded, grabbing his and Bill’s wrists and dragging them away from the others. “I get where you guys are coming from,” he said. It wasn’t a full lie. He could see why they were acting like this. They were just wrong. “But it’s going to be fine, I’m going to make sure it was. Eddie’s going to be better off with us anyway. He doesn’t deserve to live in Derry. I know you guys can see it! He’s like us but, softer. You know, Eddie reminds me a lot of-”

“D-Don’t.”

“Georgie,” Richie continued ignoring Bill’s small plea. “He deserved so much more than this town. Didn’t he?” Both of them nodded silently. “But he was stuck here. With all these people. And we know what happened there,” both of them winced. Richie smiled at them sadly, internally celebrating. “I don’t want Eddie to end up like him because we didn’t do anything. Please, don’t fight me on this?”

Neither of them answered for a moment. Both lost in their own thoughts. Probably thinking of poor little Georgie. Comparing him to Eddie. It might have been a low blow to bring him up, but it would work. At least Bill was, Richie could tell by that far away gaze he got whenever he thought of his younger brother. Stan was staring at Richie, almost as if he could see Richie’s almost bullshit. Richie smiled at him sweetly, Stan shook his head but didn’t say anything. 

“If you h-hur-hurt him, I’ll end it.” 

“Cross my heart,” Richie promised, action included. Bill turned and walked back to their other friends. Leaving Stan alone with Richie. “So?” 

“Why?” 

“We’re meant to be. And I was serious about him not belonging here,” Richie said, causing Stan to scoff. “No. Promise. Come on, he fucking wears sweaters. This town will eat him alive like it did to us and he will not come out the other side. I can promise you that, Stan, because we’ve seen it happen,” Richie pleaded, knowing it would get through to him. Stan made a face. They had. Many times. Children either ended up like them, Greta or Georgie. 

He nodded. “I’ll help you.”

“You can think of it as an early birthday present,” Richie said as they started walking back.

“You're so stupid,” Stan rolled his eyes. But that little smile - the smile Stan always had when they were doing something that he wanted to do - was on his face. Richie smiled to himself, this was going to be perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new fic that I've had on my mind for a while, let me know id it's something you want to see more of!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kind words!
> 
> Eddie's POV
> 
> ((TW: use of the F slur against Eddie by bullies))

Eddie didn’t like New York but he really didn’t like Derry. What was his mother thinking when she moved them, over halfway through Eddie’s senior year? The official reason was so she could be closer to her sisters and that the city was too dirty for her precious son. But knowing her it was probably some attempt to get him to stay with her for longer. That wouldn't be surprising. He was almost certain she was about to start on the ‘college isn’t for everyone! I think you should stay with me!’. Which was not what he was going to do. 

He sighed, hitching his bag higher onto his shoulders as he walked into the school on Thursday morning. It was a hell of a lot smaller than his old one, which meant that everyone knew him. At least in New York, he could fade into the background of the thousand other students. Eddie didn’t think there were 1000 students in all of Derry. But now he was thrust into the spotlight, apparently the first new student in three years. 20 weeks. He just had to get through 20 weeks and then he could go back to New York. 

Walking around the corner he spotted two people he recognised and one he didn’t. Beverly was in his English class and Bill in his maths. The other one, taller than both of them with a mess of dark curly hair and a loudly patterned shirt, Eddie didn’t know. But he couldn’t deny that he was kinda cute. Maybe he was just biased; the number of attractive people in Derry was not as good as New York. 

“-bad idea,” the other boy was saying as he approached. 

“It’s a good idea. I’m going to do it,” Beverly replied, turning to wave at Eddie. Eddie waved back with a small smile. She seemed cool, with her short hair and outfits that wouldn’t be out of place in New York. Beverly motioned for him to come, so he did. “I’ll see you two at lunch.”

“Won’t be here.”

“R-Richie.”

“I’ve got things to do,” the boy - Richie - muttered before stalking off as Eddie got to them. 

Beverly shrugged, “Eddie I think you’ve met Bill.”

“Yeah,” Eddie nodded as the bell rang around them, everyone jumping into movement. 

“Hey, Eddie. S-see you in maths.”

“Don’t worry about Richie,” she said as they started walking towards their classroom. “He’s stressed about a test he has coming up. Usually, he’s a lot nicer than that. How are you finding Derry? Almost a week gone.”

“It’s - alright.”

She just laughed, “it sucks. God, I can’t wait to get out of here! All of us are going to California.”

“All of you?”

“Yeah. Me and all my friends. We’re a tight-knit group, you know?” She smiled at him. No, he didn’t know. He had no idea what it was like to have a tight-knit group of friends, especially not a group that were all moving together. He just nodded. The look she sent back was - odd to say the least. Almost as if she was sizing him up, appraising him for something. “I’ll introduce you guys next week. Promise.”

Next week? That was weird, wasn’t it? Eddie wasn’t really sure of the edict of making new friends. Maybe she was just giving him time to settle before anything else happened? It could be anything. Eddie was just happy that he would be meeting her friends next week. If they were as cool as Beverly seemed to be then they’d be a group he’d want to be with. No way she had lame friends. 

“That sounds good,” Eddie replied. 

“You’ll grow to like them,” she smiled. Again, looking at him like there was some kind of inside joke he wasn’t privy to. Before he could think too much about it, she continued with a little laugh. “It’d be cool to make a new friend. You’re not homophobic or racist are you? That would suck.”

“Uh, no?” He was not about to confirm what he thought everyone was thinking. There was already enough going on - no one needed to know that he was gay on top of it all. But, if anyone in Derry wasn’t going to be an asshole about it, Beverly and by extension, her friends seemed to be the best bet. “I’m guessing Derry doesn’t have the same views?” 

She shook her head, “Richie’s being dealing with it for, well, ever I guess. Mike, he’s homeschooled, deals with a shit ton of racism as well.”

“Richie’s-?” He trailed off, not knowing if he should even be asking. 

“Into girls and guys. Don’t worry, he doesn’t mind me telling you, I’m not outing him. We’d never do that.” 

“Oh. Yeah, there were a few kids in New York like that.”

“Was it better there?”

Eddie shrugged as they arrived at their classroom, Beverly going in first. “I guess. It wasn’t great though, we had a lot of bullies but there were so many kids it was hard to not fit in. I was kind of the weirdo, you know? Not having a group.”

“The Loser,” Beverly said wisely, laughing at Eddie’s confused glance. “That’s what we call ourselves since everyone else decided that’s what we are. The Losers Club.”

“That’s actually really sweet.”

“And now we have seven!” Beverly smiled at him before their teacher called the class’ attention, ending their conversation. 

*~*

Bill Denbrough turned out to be just as nice and cool as Beverly had been. As well as a little bit weird. Those appraising glances They sat together in maths, not really talking but enough for Eddie to gather that Bill had been friends with Richie and another called Stan since they were kids, becoming friends with Bev, Mike and someone called Mike when they were eleven. It was also enough to get that he really liked his friends. More than what Eddie would say was normal but it was sweet.

“Katie’s has the b-best ice cream. B-but Derry Dairy has the best milksh-shakes.” 

“I love milkshakes. There was this place a few blocks from my apartment. I used to sneak there after school to get a strawberry one.” 

Maybe it was a Derry thing, those calculated looks. He couldn’t think of another reason as to why Bill was staring at him like that. As if his story about getting milkshakes was the most important thing in the world. “We’ll ha-have to take you to Derry Dairy then.”

“I’ll see how it holds up to New York.”

“Richie loves it. He’ll end up c-coming and t-then judging our c-choices,” he paused and then laughed a little. “Maybe not yours, t-though.”

Not sure how to reply to that, Eddie just smiled. “Sounds good.”

“Next week. It’s a d-date.”

“Next week,” Eddie nodded tightly but his smile was genuine. “Can’t wait.”

They continued talking. Bill asked a lot of questions about New York and what he missed about the city. Just like Beverly. Eddie asked questions about Derry and what it was like to grow up in the small town. Apparently the answer to that was ‘boring’ and ‘dull’. Eddie couldn’t say he was surprised. He got to hear more about their friends as well, which was cool - especially if Eddie was going to be able to meet them. Next week. But then Bill said something that struck Eddie as too odd to be normal. “I’m s-sure our lives are g-g-going to be more interesting this we-week.”

It took a moment for Eddie to say “right” just as the bell went. 

“Well, I’ll s-see you tomorrow. We’ve all gotta go and help Richie with something.”

“Are you allowed to leave at lunch?”

Bill shrugged.“Technically, no. But they don’t care, es-especially if you’re a senior.”

“Oh, that’s cool.”

“Yeah. There’s nuh-not much to do in Derry, s-so most people just s-stay,” he shrugged again before sighing. “S-shit, there’s Richie. I don’t actually want t-to help him with this. I just owe him, m-more than the others.” 

Eddie said his goodbyes before Bill followed after Richie, leaving Eddie alone for the rest of the day. It passed slowly, nothing happening. Eddie ate by himself, sat by himself in his remaining classes and then walked home alone, like every other day that week. Only one more day and then the weekend. Two days where he could retreat into his bedroom and not have to worry about anything. And then only 20 weeks before he could finish high school forever. 

God, he couldn’t wait. Leaving Derry was a bonus but leaving his mother. That was what he was looking forward to more than anything. She had never been a good person, good mother. Everything Eddie did was wrong. Everything he did was dangerous, deadly and disgusting. The three D’s, Eddie had started calling them in his head. Whenever she called him over he knew she’d reference at least one of the Ds. Often more than one.

He’d never been allowed to be normal. A little part of him had hoped that moving here, a place safer than New York City, would let him have more freedom. Perhaps his mother wouldn’t mind if he was ten minutes late after school. Or maybe he would actually be allowed friends. Because as much as Eddie’s anxiety stopped him; his mother’s behaviour completely killed any friendship that he might have started. No one wanted a friend that wasn’t allowed to do anything. No one wanted to be friends with that kid. 

In the week he’d been in Derry she hadn’t changed. She flipped her lid on Monday after he had gotten lost. Locking him in his room for the night after smacking him across the mouth when he tried to explain. And on Wednesday, just the day before, when he had said that two girls were quite nice to him, she made him promise to ignore them lest they be dirty temptresses. To sinful for his precious baby. 

“Hey!”

From the tone alone, Eddie knew that was for him. But he kept walking, praying that they would just leave him alone. But knowing him, knowing how people saw him: small, week, feminine. Gay. There was no way they’d just let him keep going. 

“Hey! You new faggot! I’m talking to you.” 

Eddie sped up until he couldn’t. Two boys his age that he hadn’t seen before standing right in front of him. The same one spoke again: “Excuse me, fag, I was talking to you.”

“It’s rude to ignore people,” the other one said. “Isn’t it, James.”

“It is,” James nodded. Eddie really didn’t want to get into a fight (more accurately: get punched by these people). The last thing he needed was his mother seeing any bruises that she didn’t put on his body. “Now, I understand that you’re new here.”

“And we just wanted to welcome you to Derry.”

“Right,” Eddie nodded. If there was one thing he couldn’t do was stop talking; even if it meant he was about to get hit. “Well, consider me welcomed. Excuse me.”

Not James glared at him while James scoffed. Not James spoke, “and we wanted you to know that we don’t take kindly to fags.”

“No, we don’t.”

Eddie knew what was happening before it happened. His head whipped to the side, his body following and falling to the ground. He groaned as his elbow and hip hit the cement. Luckily his head didn’t bounce, Eddie twisting as best as he could so he didn’t end up with a concussion. That’d make the whole thing really shit. God, his lip was bleeding. Fuck. 

James laughed down at him. “Stay out of our way.”

Not James spat down, Eddie thanked God when it missed; landing on the ground just in front of his face. That would have been worse than anything else that happened to him. The two of them stepped around him, James stepping on his foot, before they walked away leaving Eddie to drag himself up and to head back home. Praying that his mother wouldn’t be too angry. Knowing that she absolutely was. 

On his way home, only a street away, a truck pulled up beside him. Sighing, Eddie turned to confront whoever it was. “Oh! Hi Bev, hi Bill!” 

They were in the car, as was Richie, and three others. Mike, Ben and Stan if Eddie had to guess. The Losers. All six of them waved at him, Beverly lending out of the passenger window. Richie stared at him from the driver's seat. Like, really started. Especially at his split lip. All of them, aside from Bev, where. But Richie’s stare was different, more intense. He couldn’t figure out why.

“Who did that?” Bev asked.

“Uh, some guy named James?” Eddie shrugged. “It’s not that bad.” 

“It looks pretty bad,” one of them said. Either Ben or Stan. 

“I’ve had worse.” Richie’s hands clenched on the steering wheel. Eddie noticed; he also noticed when the boy who had just spoken kicked Richie’s chair. “It was nice seeing you guys, but I’ve gotta get home.”

Mike - or who Eddie was guessing was Mike - smiled out his window. “They’ve told me you’re on your way to being friends. So I guess we’ll see you later.”

“Sounds nice.”

Eddie waved again before turning to walk. As Beverly rolled up her window, Eddie swore that he heard Richie say “see, I told you-” but he was cut off before Eddie could think anything of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys liked Eddie's POV I'm thinking of doing alternating POVs, or at least both boys every few chapters. Let me know what you like!


	3. Chapter 3

“And you’re sure you’ll be okay?”

“Yes, mom. I am going to be okay. It is one weekend!” Richie laughed and gently pushed his mother away from him. “I’m going to hang out with my friends, sell meth, set fire to my school and have tons of sex!”

“Richie,” Went shook his head. 

“Don’t worry. I’m actually just gonna kidnap someone and lock them in the basement.”

Went ruffled his hair, “well. Use protection.” 

“Always.”

“Okay. Please be safe,” Maggie kissed his check before picking up her bag. The two of them were going away until Monday morning. Really it couldn’t be more perfect timing. Richie would only have to call their hotel Saturday and Sunday night from Stan’s - the closest to the clubhouse - to show that he wasn’t dead. Which meant that (practically) all weekend he’d be able to stay with Eddie. 

He couldn’t wait. In only a few hours he would have Eddie with him. Holding him, talking to him, loving him. It was going to be amazing. All he had to do was get through one more day, just fourteen more hours and then they’d be together like they were meant to be. Poor Eddie; he had no idea that he was being saved soon. He must think that he had so much longer in Derry without any form of love. 

Not long after his parents left, Richie left. Making his rounds to pick up all four of the Losers who went to school. Bill, Stan, Ben and then Bev before heading to the school. Perhaps, if he was lucky he’d be able to see Eddie on their way. God, when he had seen him the night before he’d almost gone feral. Seeing him with that split lip and blood drying around his mouth. If Stan hadn’t hit his seat he would have gotten out of the car, just so he could touch the boy. Reassure him that it was going to be okay.

It had, however, reaffirmed everything Richie had said. To himself and to the Losers. He wasn’t safe in Derry. Not even one week of being in the town and he had already been beaten by James and Andy. The fucking pricks. God, Richie hated every single resident of Derry that wasn’t in the Losers Club. It had been so very worth getting home after curfew, seeing them with their faces bloodied and bruised after Richie had tracked them down. Bill and Mike had helped, restraining one while Richie had his fun with the others. But he knew that they were just as happy to see them bloody as Richie. 

“You can’t ditch,” Beverly said. Richie was pulled out of his memories. James and Andy groaning and pleading for him to stop. “You need to go to school today.”

“What the fuck? Why?”

“If they decide to investigate you need to seem normal,” she answered. 

Stanley nodded, “Bev’s right.”

“I have things I need to do. Including your mom.”

“Fucking g-gross. Can they b-be done after school? Before we g-go and g-get him?”

Richie nodded, “I guess. I just need to get another battery-powered lantern. Just in case the one we have down there breaks. And some bottles of water.”

“He likes to read,” Bev supplied. 

“I’ll take down some of my books.”

“Did you get the chain attached?” Ben asked. 

“Yeah. Mike helped me yesterday,” Richie pulled into the school car park. “He’ll be able to go anywhere in the clubhouse. And then Mike and I found this cool pin-lock system. When there’s no one down there with him we can lock the trap door from the outside. The chain’s hardly long enough to get up the ladder anyway. I’ll bring down an extra blanket and Mike has an idea that should make the fold-out couch easier to open.” 

Bill sighed, “you really ha-have this all planned out.”

“Yup. Don’t want him to feel like it was a spur of the moment decision.” 

“Like I said,” Ben reminded him, “I won’t help if you’re hurting him.”

“Don’t worry, Benny boy and others, I have no plans to hurt the love of my life. I’ll treat him like the fairest princess in the land. Cross my heart.” 

Stan rolled his eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“Impossibly in love,” Richie agreed as they all filed out. Stan just rolled his eyes again with a little sigh. At least Beverly laughed, even if it was subdued. It was kinda weird, Richie thought as they made their way into the building, that they were going about their day as if they weren’t going to commit a major crime that evening. Not that the crime wasn’t justifiable, of course. 

“What do you need us to do tonight?” Beverly asked. 

“I have a plan. I’ll pick everyone up at 9.”

“How are we going to get him to come with us?” Ben asked. 

Richie smiled at them, “don’t worry. I have a plan.” 

*~*

Really, everything seemed to be pointing to the idea that this was the perfect thing. His parents were out, Eddie had seemed to really like Bev and Bill, a thunderstorm was rolling in and all the Losers were in on it. Some more excited than others but all in. All six of them were camped out in Mike’s truck, parked outside Eddie’s house at ten to ten that Friday evening. 

Bev had walked home with Eddie. Claiming they lived in the same direction. A complete and utter lie but it meant she knew where he lived and that they got to spend some more time together. Apparently they were getting along well, Eddie asking about the Losers and was seemingly interested in what Bev had to say about his soon to be friends. It was just good that Eddie got a few extra moments. Richie wanted this to be easy on him - and having people he trusted would be crucial when he woke up in the clubhouse in three to four hours. 

Because, yes, he was drugging him. Every single Loser had objected. Calling him crazy and psychotic for even suggesting the idea. But, at the end of the day, it was Richie’s call. He was running this. And drugging was the best answer. He’s swiped some meds from his dad’s cupboard - the only perk of having a dentist dad that Richie could find - that he knew was safe. Eddie would wake up, a little dazed but otherwise fine, in only a few hours. He wouldn’t panic or be afraid. There was no need to be freaking out as he was moved to the clubhouse. He’d just wake up with them. Safe and sound.

Really the plan was simple. Richie would break in through Eddie’s window first, drug him before he could wake up and then Bev would come in. She’d take Eddie’s bag, fill it with some clothes and personal belongings. Enough to make it obvious Eddie had been the one to take it. Richie would lower Eddie down to his friends before he and Bev followed. Then, within a few minutes, they’d be gone. Sonia would wake up in nine to ten hours and by that stage, any evidence outside the house would have been washed away.

Richie was rather proud of himself. 

“How long?” Stan asked.

The last light in the house went off, Richie was pretty sure that was Sonia’s room. Simply because Eddie wasn’t as big as the silhouette in the window. He didn’t know Eddie’s mother but he hated her. At school, Eddie had sported a black eye and split lip as well a mark on his neck - one that wasn’t there when they’d ‘run into him’ after James and Andy. Sonia was lucky that killing her wasn’t an objective. 

“Give it half an hour,” Richie decided just as the first flash of lighting happened. “To make sure she’s asleep.” Ben switched the radio over. It was quiet enough that they wouldn’t alert any neighbours. That wouldn’t be helpful at all. 

Half an hour later all the lights on the street had turned off. That was one benefit of living in the suburbs of Derry. No one was ever awake after ten. Which meant that they were practically alone. And the rain, as Richie had hoped, was covering every sound. Even if they were loud or something went wrong, they had cover. It was like the universe was blessing them. After one of Richie’s favourite songs ended he opened his door. 

“You’re sure the drugs are safe?” Mike asked, almost shouting just to be heard over the rain. 

“I even talked to my dad about it. It’s fine,” Richie shrugged. They got to the house, standing up Eddie’s window already soaking wet. Luckily he had a trellis leading straight to his window. Richie pulled out a screwdriver that he had swiped from Mike’s. He winked at his friends before scaling the wall and heading up to his baby. God, he’d been waiting all week - his whole life - for this moment. 

The window was unlocked. He simply had to pop the screwdriver into the frame to then pull it out. Eddie hadn’t locked his window. Did he ever? Richie thought to himself as he climbed in, or was it just this night? Eddie seemed like the kind of person who was careful about that kind of thing. Why tonight, of all nights, did Eddie feel like he could keep his window unlocked? Keep himself vulnerable. Did he feel the shift like Richie had? Or was it simply a random thing? 

Stepping inside, Richie breathed in. He was in Eddie’s room. It was bare, boxes still stacked in one corner. There was nothing on the walls, not like Richie’s room and his explosion of things. A desk sat beside the window, neatly organised with homework and textbooks resting beside a picture of a man and a small child, a lava lamp and a pencil holder. Three orange pill bottles sat against a red fanny pack. His bedsheet was white with pale blue spots on it. And - fuck - he had a teddy bear sitting against the wall beside his head. Eddie himself was a dream. 

From the looks of it - he was practically buried under his blankets - he was wearing a pale pink pyjama set. His hair was flat against the pillow, little curls on the end, and his skin practically glowed in the faint street light. Jesus Christ, Richie could imagine himself climbing into the bed, under all the blankets and settling in against Eddie’s little body. Cutest little fucker Richie had ever seen.

Richie pulled out the syringe. He knew what to do - made sure there was no air in the needle and that there wasn’t too much medicine overall. It was fine.

He moved quietly, landing beside Eddie’s bed and kneeling down beside his head. The urge to reach out and stroke his hair too much to ignore. Which turned out to be a big fucking mistake as Eddie’s eyes flew open. Richie cursed internally. He went to sit up but Richie was quicker, pinning him down with one arm and the other going to cover his mouth. He knew that Eddie needed this as much as Richie but Eddie didn’t know that. Eddie thrashed, staring at Richie with wide eyes. 

“Don’t worry,” Richie muttered. Eddie replied, the response muffled under Richie’s hand, as he started to cry. “Hey, no. It’s okay. I promise! Don’t cry.” Fuck he was pretty when he cried.

Beverly crawled in then, Eddie’s eyes flying to her as he started thrashing again. 

“Why is he awake?” She whisper-yelled at him.

“Because he woke up,” Richie snapped quietly. Eddie cried out again. “Please calm down, baby, it’s going to be fine.”

“Fucking sedate him! He’s panicking!” At that, he started panicking even more. But she was right. She came over, climbing up so she was straddling Eddie, letting Richie get one arm free to organise the drugs. God, he hadn’t wanted him to be upset. Beverly stroked a hand through Eddie’s hair, cooing at him. “Hey, Eddie, it’s okay. I know you’re scared but it’s going to be fine.” 

When he saw the syringe he yelled. Richie pressed down harder on his mouth, Eddie whimpering in response. “Don’t worry,” he said as he lined the syringe up to Eddie’s upper arm, “just go to sleep.”

Eddie was moving so much that Beverly had to help hold down one arm. The kid was surprisingly strong. “Stop it,” she scolded softly. “Let Richie do this.”

“Go to sleep and when you wake up,” Richie plunged the needle in. Watching it as it disappeared into Eddie’s arm. “You’ll be at your new home with your family.” He lent in, kissing Eddie on the forehead. “And then we can all be happy.”

“Sleep tight,” Beverly whispered.

The fight was going out of him, quickly now. He looked up at them, tears still streaming down his face. What a cutie. Richie smiled at him, “such a good boy. See you soon, baby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of people were excited to see Reddie interacting but this needed to happen first! Don't be too mad??? I promise that they'll interact next chapter!!


	4. Chapter 4

It took Eddie a long time to wake up. He was foggy, stiff and very confused. And he knew that something was wrong. 

The last thing he could remember was going to sleep, which had been normal. His mother had checked on him, like every night. Turning the light out and warning against staying up too late. He’d gone to sleep like he did every night. It was all fine. But then something had happened. What had happened? As he started to wake up the first thing he noticed was the sound of the rain. It was louder, more intense, than normal. Then he noticed that he was warm - warmer than normal. And that his hands were being held. 

People were touching him. More than one. His hands were being held and he was resting against someone. Eddie could feel the steady breathing against his back, that person’s hands were running up and down his sides. Someone to Eddie’s right shifted, his hand going with the person. Two, probably three, people were touching and holding him and Eddie didn’t know why. 

His first thought was that he was in hospital. It wasn’t like his mother had never whisked him to the ER in the middle of the night. But why would he be leaning against a doctor like this - because whoever was behind him was not his mother? He’d never had a doctor do this, and that also didn’t answer who the other two were. Because their hands were warm and his mother’s were always so cold. Eddie found that it actually was too unpleasant, the feeling, minus the fear of not knowing. 

Then he thought that maybe he was just in a really weird dream. That would make sense, some of his dreams were odd. And that would explain why he was all fuzzy. He was just in some weird dream where he was half awake. That didn’t explain why he was so afraid, so sure something was wrong. No dream had ever been this intense before. Almost realistic in its emotions. But what else could it be? 

In the haze, he remembered something else. He’d seen Richie. Maybe that was part of the dream. Richie had been in his room, smiling at Eddie with lightning flashing in the window and rain pounding on the roof. And he could remember because Richie was all wet. Had he been outside? Beverly had been there as well, looking at him with something like the fear his mother’s eyes held when she thought that Eddie was sick again. Then she was sitting beside Eddie, holding his face and speaking to him. What she, and Richie, were saying Eddie couldn’t remember. What a weird dream.

That’s when he heard the talking. It was quiet, hard to hear, especially with the loud rain against the roof and the fuzziness still enveloping Eddie. The sound wasn’t unpleasant though. It was too far away to be the people holding him. A man’s voice that he swore he could recognize but had no clue of who it was. As that far away man spoke the man behind Eddie sighed softly. “Is he okay?”

“He’s okay,” the man behind him replied. 

“It’s been a long time,” a woman on Eddie’s left said. Eddie knew that voice. He knew who that was. Who was it? Why did Eddie know her? Why did it make him feel a lot better to know that she was there? “I think we should try and wake him up? You said two hours.”

Wake who up? Him? Were they talking about him? Eddie was sleeping, or at least it would look like he was sleeping and he was pretty sure that he had just woken up. Even if he was still in a dream. Maybe he was waking up. The man behind him answered with a clipped tone, as if he didn’t want to be answering. “He’s going to panic. It’s best that’s sleeping.”

“Are you sure?” Another person - or maybe the first, Eddie was still fuzzy - said. “It has been over three hours.”

“I’m sure, Stan.”

Stan? Why did Eddie know that name? Why did he recognise some of these people? He was shifted slightly, the blanket on him slipping and leaving his arm slightly exposed. That was odd. Eddie was sure that he had gone to sleep wearing a long-sleeved shirt. Before he could try and move it, the blanket was placed back onto his arm. Eddie was thankful that he was covered again. His room was cold. Why wasn’t his heater working? 

None of this made any sense and Eddie could feel the panic rising even in his fuzzy and confused state. 

“Maybe it is better that he’s sleeping,” the woman that Eddie knew said. 

The man on Eddie’s other side sighed, “how m-much did you give him? There was a lot in the ne-needle.”

That’s when it clicked. Eddie knew that voice. Eddie knew the woman’s voice. Eddie knew who Stan was. Eddie remembered. Waking up. The rain. Needle. Drugs. Beverly. Richie. Oh God, something had gone wrong. Really fucking wrong. Richie had broken into his room while he was sleeping. They’d been in his house. Had pinned him down and covered his mouth. Injected him with something. Told him he was a good boy, that they were taking him to his family and made him go to sleep. 

Eddie’s eyes flew open as soon as he fully understood. 

Well, fully was a bit of an overstatement. He didn’t know why he was here, who the others were or where he was. 

He was in a room. One room. It wasn’t bright, the only source of light being a lantern hanging from the wall. The first thing he saw was the lantern and the roof. It looked like it was made of dirt and wood beams. Then he moved his head slightly, seeing three men that he had seen before. In the car. After he was beaten up. They’d been with Beverly and Bill. So that meant that - yes. Holding his hands were Beverly and Bill. Which, if he was remembering correctly, meant that he was currently sitting on Richie’s lap. Richie, who he didn’t know. 

Why?

Before everyone started talking Eddie took in a bit more. It looked like he was underground, the walls of the room made of dirt and rocks. In front of him, in between him and the other three, was a table and off to one side was a bookcase. From his moment of staring he saw a pile of books and water bottles before moving on. Two of them men - Stan and Mike, Eddie was pretty sure - were sitting in a hammock, feet on the ground. The other man, Ben, was sitting on a ladder? Yeah, a ladder leading to a trap door. God, they were underground. 

That’s when he noticed the chain. Bolted to the wall beside Ben was a large steel chain that led straight to Eddie’s covered foot. He was wrapped up in a blanket, it tucked around him and Richie but one moment of concentration confirmed what he was dreading. It was around his ankle. He could feel the ring of cold. These people had broken into his house, drugged him, taken him underground and then chained him to the wall. 

Beverly was the first person that he actually listened to. All of them were talking, but it was too loud. Too much. He couldn’t understand. His mind was still foggy. What he did know was that this wasn’t good and that Beverly was tugging on his hand. It took a lot of effort, too much to not be scary, to turn his head to look at him. Apparently he looked as scared as he felt, Beverly wincing when she saw him. “Hey, babe, you’re okay. Listen to me, okay? We just need you to calm down.”

Eddie couldn’t breathe. What the fuck was happening?

“Eddie. Calm d-down. You’re s-s-s-safe.” That was - it was Bill. Bill from school that Eddie knew. Bill, who Eddie’s thought was his new friend. Beverly was talking to Richie but Bill was talking to Eddie. Suddenly his hands were on Eddie’s face. He looked sad. “P-please. You nu-need t-to b-b-be-breath!”

Richie held onto him tighter. Why was he holding him? 

“Babe, calm down. Just take a deep -” Beverly kept talking but he couldn’t hear her. It felt like he had been submerged in water. Vaguely he was aware that some of them left, the trap door opening and allowing cold air to come down and hit them. Beverly suddenly appeared right in front of him, replacing Bill and she started stroking his cheek softly. “It’s okay, Eddie, babe, you’re going to be okay. Richie’s going to take care of you.” Then she looked up, at Richie. “Behave.” 

And then she was gone. Eddie was aware enough to know that he was alone with Richie now. Even Bill had left with the others. Dear God, he was going to be murdered. He still couldn’t breathe. He needed his inhaler. Badly. Richie was muttering, whispering words that Eddie couldn't hear. He was moved so that he was sitting across Richie’s lap. Now he could see him. Through tear-filled eyes, he could see Richie staring down at him. 

“Eds, you’re alright.” 

“I-”

“Shh,” Richie hummed, his hands moving around. “You’re alright. I promise. You’re going to be so happy with us.”

“What?” Eddie asked, it coming out slurred. 

Richie smiled at him, running one hand through Eddie’s head. Eddie felt limp, if he wasn’t being held up he didn’t think that he’d be upright. “Hey, baby. You’re confused. So just go back to sleep, and we can talk when you wake up.”

“No!” Eddie went to move, try to wiggle his way out of Richie’s lap. He didn’t want to go back to sleep. He wanted to be back in his room. Richie held tighter onto Eddie’s hair. Not enough to hurt. Enough to send a message. “No!”

“So sweet,” Richie smiled at him. A sharp sting in Eddie’s neck came next, Richie still smiling at him and whispering little phrases that he couldn’t understand. Like at his house, it took a moment for him to fall asleep. Those few little moments spent in absolute terror of what was to come next. 

Why had they taken him? What did they want? Those two questions circling in his mind until the drugs took hold again and he started to slip back into a dreamless sleep. Richie still holding him as he fell under. 

*~*

Richie found himself rocking Eddie, slowly and silently, as he slept. It had been awful, seeing him like that. Panicking and struggling to breathe. His hands reaching out for something that wasn’t there and little whimpers coming out as his breath hitched. It hadn’t helped that all the Losers had started panicking as well, Beverly being the calmest. She’d told the others to leave as Richie had tried to calm Eddie down.

He hadn’t wanted to drug Eddie again, it wasn’t good for him. And it wasn’t like he could stay drugged forever. He needed to wake up and be with the Losers. Once he saw that they weren’t going to hurt him then it would be okay. Because Richie did understand. He knew that Eddie was scared. Of course, he was, he had been taken from his bed. But that was only because he didn’t understand. As soon as they explained everything then he’d be happy. 

Eddie had just been saved. Richie and the Losers had saved him. They’d be such a happy family once Eddie calmed down. 

This lot of drugs would hopefully see Eddie through the night. His body would be tired, even without the help, so he should just sleep. That would be the best option for everyone. Eddie would wake well-rested, and hopefully less afraid now that he knew it was only Richie who took him. The Losers wouldn’t come back until later in the morning, leaving a few hours for just Richie and Eddie. 

They were good friends, really good. Helping him with this. It was a changeup but they could all see where it was going to go. Sure, Richie had called in the favour owed, but even if he hadn’t, he was sure they’d just help him anyway. Because Losers always have each other’s backs. Always. And now Eddie was a part of that. Eddie was a Loser. He was Richie’s and a Loser and safe and secure and protected and happy. 

And that was all thanks to Richie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does this count as them meeting?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The actual meeting. After a whole load of fake outs!

This time when Eddie woke up, he remembered everything. From Richie and Beverly breaking into his house, the first round of drugging and being taken to waking up, panicking and then being drugged again this time underground. Eddie had not had a good night. 

“Hey, Eds,” Richie smiled over at him - as if nothing was wrong - when he saw that Eddie had woken up again. This time he was sitting in the hammock, reading a comic book that he dropped as soon as Eddie stirred. “Morning.”

“I - I don’t understand.” His voice was dry, croaky and it hurt to speak but he was going to say what he wanted to say. “What’s going on?”

Richie’s smile changed to something more understanding. “I’m sure you're confused. But it’s all okay.”

“Doesn’t seem that way.”

“Oh?” Richie’s smile dropped for a moment and Eddie cursed at himself. He couldn’t go five minutes without antagonizing his captors? Maybe making Richie angry wasn’t the best course of action seeing as how Eddie was changed to the wall. Perhaps Eddie would find the whole thing easier if he kept his mouth shut. He’d never been good at that. “Look,” Richie sighed before his smile came back. “I get it. You-”

“Want to go home.” Shut the fuck up, Kaspbrak. 

“You are home.”

“This isn’t funny.”

Richie scowled at him, “it’s not supposed to be. You’re home now, here, with me.”

“In a cellar?”

“Clubhouse.”

“In a cellar,” Eddie snapped back. He could feel himself getting angrier and angrier every moment he was chained up in this stupid cellar. Now that the panic wasn’t as intense as it had been before. He was still panicking, but less so now that he at least knew who had taken him. Where and Why still needed to be answered. Hopefully quickly. Richie made another face, sitting up and staring at Eddie. He was just thankful that Richie wasn’t trying to come over and touch him again. They’d all been touching him. Eddie hadn’t liked it one bit. Well, maybe before he was aware, but when he figured it all out that positive feeling went right away. “I want to go home.”

Richie sighed, “Eddie. Please stop saying that. Look, we’ve brought you here because this is where you belong! Right here, with me.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Don’t,” Richie said. Eddie snapped his gaze away to stare at the floor at the intense, borderline angry, tone that Richie suddenly adopted. Richie sighed again, moving out of the hammock and towards Eddie. He was going to touch him again. “I’m sorry, Eds, I don’t mean to get angry with you,” he sat down on the table. Directly in front of Eddie. And, as he guessed, Richie reached out and cupped Eddie’s face in his hands. Tilting his head so that they were looking at each other. “Please don’t make me get angry. I don’t want this to be hard on you.”

“Please, just -”

“Don’t ask that again, Eds.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Eddie wasn’t sure what he was expecting. But Richie smiling happily was not it. That’s what he got though, a smiling Richie. As if this was all some kind of joke. Maybe that was it. They were playing some sick joke on Eddie. Pranking the new kid. Perhaps they wanted to see how far they could go before Eddie called them out. Maybe they just wanted to see what he would do in this situation. But - Eddie had to be realistic, otherwise, he’d go insane - there was no in Hell that his mother would never approve. 

Oh, God, his mother. She would have to know by now, right? The rain had stopped and it looked like there was sunlight coming through the slit around the trap door (which also meant they were outside, not in a cellar. Information Eddie filed away to deal with later) so it was probably morning. His mom always checked on him first thing. So she would have seen that he wasn’t in bed and would have called the police. No way did she let him stay missing. For once he was actually happy that his mother was so overprotective. 

All Eddie had to do was wait until the police started looking. Richie and his friends weren’t criminal masterminds. They wouldn’t get away with it. 

“I understand that this is scary,” Richie said, breaking Eddie out of his thoughts. “And that you’re confused. Bev chewed me out for hours the other day -” other day? “-about how you’d be scared and stuff. Apparently I’m not sensitive to that kind of info. She said that I was too narrow-focused on the outcome. That I’d forget about the journey. So I get it. I think it’s stupid but I get it. And I want to make this as easy as I can for you.”

“I don’t understand, Richie-” Richie grinned when Eddie said his name “-please just tell me what’s going on? Why am I here? Where am I?”

Richie ran his thumb across Eddie’s cheek. Staring at it before going back to staring into his eyes. “I took you. I knew that I had to have you the moment I saw you on Monday. You’re here because you belong here. And here is our clubhouse in the barrens.”

“This isn’t funny.”

“Like I said, it isn’t a joke. The other Losers will be back in about twenty minutes. In pattern tracks the police and town will start looking for you in an hour. By night time you’ll be labelled a runaway. By the end of the week, no one will be looking for you and you’ll be safe here.”

There was too much. Too much to process in those few sentences. But something stuck out more than the other things. Something that Richie had repeatedly said: “safe?” 

“Derry is no place for a sweet thing like you. All the Losers agree,” Richie smiled at him - Eddie would almost describe it as lovingly. “I’d go as far as to say you’re too sweet for the world. It doesn’t deserve you. I don’t, either, but I took you anyway. Yeah, the world isn’t safe for people like you. But in here you are.”

“Like me?”

“Yeah, not like me. None of us want to see you turn out like us. You don’t deserve it.”

“What?”

Richie tapped his cheek with his thumb, smiling still. “That’s for another day. We don’t want to make you upset. Now, start to think of anything you might need for down here and I’ll get the Losers to pick it up sometime today.”

“I’m not living down here.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“You are.”

“No.”

“Eddie.”

“Richie.”

“Stop it.”

“I want to go home!” Eddie was borderline crying as he said it. But that stopped when Richie pulled his hand back and smacked him across the cheek. It wasn’t hard, not as hard as he’d had before. His mother had hit him harder, and he’d been beaten up worse. But there was something else to it, that Eddie couldn’t name, that made this worse than the other times. It was enough to make him freeze, stare at Richie in shock for a moment and then burst into tears. “Why did you do that?”

Richie rubbed where he had hit. He wasn’t smiling but he didn’t look angry or even upset, more so resigned than anything else. Like he had no choice but to hit Eddie. “Don’t ask that again. I don’t like it. Please stop crying, sweetheart.” 

“You hit me,” Eddie sobbed. Everything crashing down on him, his anger ebbing out and being replaced with sadness. His cheek hurt, his head hurt, he was confused, he wanted to go home. He wanted to be back in New York. He wanted to see his mother.

“I promise that I didn’t want to,” he sighed. “Just don’t say that again. I hate that you aren’t happy here yet.”

“This isn’t funny anymore.”

Richie kissed his forehead. Richie kissed him. Eddie felt sick. “No, it’s not funny. It’s not a joke.”

“But-”

“Nope. I love joking around, I know Bev told you that. But this isn’t a joke. This is the most serious I’ve ever been.”

God, Bev. Beverly who Eddie had considered a new friend. She’d been in on this. Bill as well. For how long? He felt the blood drain out of his face. It clicked for him then, even if it should have been a while ago. Those weird looks, Beverly telling Eddie all about Richie, how all of them had seemed to know him when they were in the car, their instance that Eddie would be their friend - next week. They had all known and they hadn’t done anything. 

Worse than that. They’d actively engaged with him. Beverly had talked to him about everything. Bill listened to him babble on about all sorts. He’d talked about owing Richie, was this what Richie had made them help with? Both of them had mentioned how next week was going to be weird, hectic, better. They’d promised him things. Had treated him like a new friend where Eddie had none. Both of them had talked about Richie. Almost buttering him up to the idea of becoming a - what? Slave in a cellar. 

Eddie’s crying picked back up.

“Stop crying, baby,” Richie demanded as he tilted Eddie’s head up. Forcing eye contact. 

The emotional whiplash Eddie was experiencing sucked. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He could do it, he’d done it before. Alone, in his room. Not with a stranger staring at him with this disgusting lovey-dovey look in his eyes. Eddie squeezed his eyes closed as he evened out his breathing, Richie muttering praises as he did so. He couldn’t move his head, Richie’s hand still holding his chin. 

“Too pretty to cry.”

“Please just tell me what you want,” Eddie managed to stop crying. Calming down into a state where he wasn’t really feeling anything. “We don’t have any money.”

Richie rolled his eyes, “we’re not holding you for ransom, Eds. Besides, no one on this earth has what you're worth,” he winked at him. Was he seriously flirting with him? Jesus Christ. Eddie didn’t know how to feel. “And I already told you what I want.”

“Which is bullshit.”

There was a pause before Richie stood, ripping his hand off Eddie’s face and pushing the table back. “Don’t say that kind of shit to me. Fuck!” He ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t like being upset or angry. Okay? I’ve already explained this all to you! All I need from you is to be here and safe with me. Then we can be happy. Can’t you see that?” 

“Richie -” Eddie hesitated, how does he word this? Richie seemed to respond positively when Eddie was calmer. Getting angry wasn’t going to work. Arguing wasn’t going to work. He had to stay calm. “-I still don’t understand. You took me from my house, right? But I don’t get what you mean about me being safe? Why wasn’t I safe at my house with my mother?”

It worked, Richie calming down and moving closer. A small smile on his face again. “Derry fucking sucks, no one is safe here. Especially people like you. At least I don’t look gay - don’t try to argue that point, Eds. You’re so sweet, Derry would rip you apart and spit you out a different, bad, person. I didn’t want that, the Losers didn’t want that. So we took you to keep you safe.”

“That doesn't answer my question.”

“Your mother is abusing you. That’s hardly safe.”

“She is not,” Eddie shot back defensively without thinking. It was practically engrained to deny those kinds of claims. It wasn’t the first time. 

Richie rolled his eyes. Everything he did, Eddie noted, was dramatic. Bigger than most people. Clearly he liked it when all eyes were on him. “Yeah, she was the picture-perfect mother. My mother may be a little distant but she doesn’t fucking hit me.”

“My mom doesn’t-”

“Please,” he scoffed. “We’ve seen it before. Honestly, she’s lucky I was so preoccupied with getting you out.”

“She’s going to look for me,” Eddie said instead of answering what Richie had actually said. 

He shrugged, “probably. But, as I said, everyone will think you're a runaway.”

“I’ve never run away before.” 

“Nether had Greta or Patrick.”

“What? Were they other people you kidnapped and locked down here to keep safe?” Christ, Eddie chastised himself, stop getting angry. 

Richie laughed, loudly. Eddie didn’t get the joke. His laugh held something else to it, something that Eddie didn’t want to find out. “No. They were most definitely not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Losers will be back soon! Let me know what you think :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait!

Richie watched as Eddie paced around the clubhouse, occasionally getting his chain caught. 

First, he had taken to yanking the chain by his ankle, refusing to talk to Richie. Then he had gone to the wall and began pulling. He even climbed the ladder, crying out in frustration when he realised that he couldn’t get to the trap door. All the while keeping his gaze firmly away from Richie who had gone back to his comic, content to wait until Eddie got whatever this was out of his system. Now Eddie was pacing, walking around the clubhouse with a pouty-frown on his adorable face. 

It had only been an hour, really, since Eddie woke up. Richie could hardly count the first time last night. Not only had it been short but so full of panic. So he couldn’t blame Eddie for still being confused. Because he wasn’t upset - Eddie might think that what he was feeling was anger or sadness but really it was just confusion. Confusion that would go away soon. The Losers would help with that. Whenever they arrived. 

He looked back up, Eddie having gone still in front of the bookcase. Not knowing that Richie was watching he reached up, stroking a book spine lightly before dropping his hand. What a cutie.

“God that was hard to get down here. Took Ben, Mike and I about a whole day.” Eddie didn’t respond. “Bev said you like to read so I brought down some books, Ben said he has some as well.” Again, nothing but silence. “There’s a puzzle down there and some snacks. I’ll bring you meals but they’re there just in case, ya know? Can’t have my Eds going hungry.” 

Nothing. Eddie just eyed the books.

“There’s also a trunk behind the sofa with a backup lantern and blankets and shit,” Richie explained. Eddie looked around but didn’t speak. “Plus I just put down this new carpet so it doesn’t get as cold. We can bring you warmer clothes though.”

Finally, finally, Eddie spoke. “How long have you been planning this?” 

“Since I saw you on Monday,” Richie admitted. Eddie didn’t reply. “The second I saw you I knew that Derry wasn’t good for you and that I needed to get you out. The Losers could see it too, I just needed to push them a little bit. It was all confirmed after you got attacked by James and Andy, and then that handprint around your neck that wasn’t there then. It was obvious to me.”

Again, Eddie stayed silent. Stiffening up as Richie spoke. Richie rolled his eyes and went back to his comic. If Eddie didn’t want to talk then they didn’t have to talk. He didn’t love sitting in silence, much preferring to fill it with whatever was needed, but for today he could read quietly. 

Eddie moved again after a few minutes of staring at the bookcase, Richie peeking to watch him. He sat on the sofa, pulling his legs up and wrapping his arms around his knees. The chain rattled, banging against the sofa leg, Eddie watching it with an upset, almost angry, frown on his face. His hand went down, tugging on it again. Not hard, he couldn’t anymore; his ankle was red and raw from the first round of pulling. Perhaps they could get something to go under the cuff so that didn’t happen. 

“Be careful, Eds, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

“Why do you care?” Eddie snapped. 

“Because I want you to be -”

“Safe?” Eddie muttered with a little huff.

Richie frowned slightly, “no. Well, yes. But that’s not what I meant. I want you to be happy and comfortable. You can’t be if you’re in pain.”

“It doesn’t hurt,” Eddie argued before wincing as he moved his foot. Richie raised an eyebrow. “It doesn't.”

“Of course not.” 

“Shut up.”

“My lips are sealed,” Richie said as he held his hands up in mock surrender. Eddie frowned at him, his glare icy. He stopped tugging at the chain, letting it hang limply beside him. His ankle, Richie noted, was really red. That would need to be fixed. Of course, Eddie could stop pulling at it, that would stop the whole situation easily. Eddie’s head dropped so he was resting his forehead on his knees. Richie just hoped he wasn’t crying. He hated seeing Eddie cry. 

He went back to his comic, letting Eddie stay quiet. At least he had gotten a few words out of him - even if they were short and angry. It was something, and anything that Eddie said was like music to his ears. Especially those little whimpers he had made as he was being drugged. But angry sentences would do for now. By the looks of Eddie, he wasn’t about to offer anything more and Richie didn’t really want to drug him again. 

Richie wanted him to be in the clubhouse because he wanted to be. Drugging and chaining him up, those were temporary things. And as soon as Eddie understood why he was here and came to love Richie and the Losers for saving him then the chain would be removed and he’d be free. By then he’d be happy in the clubhouse so he wouldn’t try to run away even if he could. But current Eddie, the one who was curled up and sad, didn’t get it. Didn’t appreciate what Richie had done.

That was alright, Richie decided. There was a very simple explanation for it. Eddie had never been loved, so he had no idea that the Losers actually cared for him. They just had to prove him wrong. No matter how long it took them. 

It didn’t take him long to finish the comic even with an extremely distracted mind, Eddie didn’t move the entire time. He sat, staring vacantly at the floor with his chin on his knees and his arms wrapped around his legs. Occasionally his fingers would tap against his shins in a rhythm before he stopped. Sometimes tears would well up, Richie watching as Eddie simply blinked them away. 

“Richie?”

Holy fucking shit. Richie’s gaze snapped up to meet Eddie’s. He had started the conversation, he had said Richie’s name, he’d called out to him! He was looking at Richie, eyes softer now. “Yeah, Eds?” 

“I’m thirsty.”

“Help yourself to the water, doll, it’s here for you.” Eddie flinched when Richie called him doll but still slowly stood up. He wobbled a bit when he put weight on his cuffed foot. Richie was about to jump up to steady him. An excuse to get his hands on Eddie again. But Eddie didn’t need it, moving to the bookcase and picking up a bottle of water. He brang it back to the sofa, curling up again, this time with the water bottle tucked under his chin.

It was going to be fun, Richie supposed, getting to bring all of the supplies to Eddie. He was going to be fully dependent on Richie and that idea sent a thrill up his spine. He was going to need Richie. Like a true pet. 

“Bill said you like milkshakes,” Richie said. “I’ll get you one from Katie’s.”

“Bill said Derry Dairy was better.”

Richie scoffed, his mind reeling - they were having a conversation, an actual conversation about something different - “Bill doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about. Katie’s is where it’s at.”

“Corner Creamy is best,” Eddie said, softly and hesitantly. Cute cute cute. 

“Where's that?” 

“New York.”

There was a little smirk on his face as he said it. Richie smiled at him, what a cutie. “Well I could get you a milkshake from there, but it might be melted by the time I bring it back,” he shrugged, still smiling. 

And Eddie fucking laughed. 

Eddie laughed. 

It was small, quiet and short but it was a laugh nonetheless. 

Richie felt light-headed. 

“I’ll get you a milkshake from both dinners in Derry and you can decide that Katie’s is better and tell Bill to go fuck himself,” Eddie didn’t laugh again but he had a little on smile on his face and that was plenty for Richie. Shit, he knew he liked the boy but he didn’t realize just how much. This was damn near stupid. Eddie was still curled up but his head was up, looking at Richie as they spoke. “Let me guess, strawberry?”

“And you probably like chocolate.”

“Guilty.”

“Chocolate is gross.”

“I can’t believe you just said that.”

Eddie rolled his eyes. Richie damn near swooned. “I don’t like the taste.”

“You and Bev have that in common,” Richie scoffed. “Even Stan likes chocolate.” All the Losers did, Beverly only didn’t like it because her dad hadn’t let - “were you not allowed any at home?” Richie asked, causing Eddie to frown. He didn’t want to ruin the conversation and regretted even bringing up the outside. But he couldn’t just not say anything. “Beverly wasn’t, her dad was a real dick and he didn’t let her.”

Thank god, Eddie seemed to relax slightly. “No. It’s not healthy.”

“Neither are milkshakes.”

“I snuck them.”

“Naughty.”

Eddie rolled his eyes again. Richie would take that over him being sad any day. “Is Bev’s dad, you know…”

“Abusive?” Richie asked, Eddie flinching almost violently at the word. “Yeah. He was. Real piece of work.” That was not a good conversation, Richie then realised. He shouldn’t have brought any of it up. Not the abuse, not the outside world, none of it. It was such an obvious topic not to bring up, yet he did anyway. Eddie stopped replying, curling up more and resting his forehead down again. Richie wanted to hit himself for fucking it up.

They went back to sitting in silence. Although, Richie noted happily, it wasn’t as awkward by any means and Eddie didn’t seem as upset. Still upset, yes, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been only a few moments before. And that was all because they’d had an actual conversation. His head was still spinning. He and Eddie had a conversation, multiple sentences exchanged, about something positive. It was the start, Richie could see it. 

“Everyone is going to assume I ran away?” Eddie asked suddenly, disrupting the silence they’d been sitting in for about twenty minutes. 

“Yeah.”

“So, because they think that, can’t I write my mom a letter?” 

“No.”

“Richie, think about it-”

“No, Eddie. You can’t.”

“But she’s going to look for me, so if I write a letter then maybe she-”

“Shut the fuck up before I make you shut up.”

Eddie stopped talking, his gaze going back to the floor but not before Richie could see the hurt look on his face. Richie sighed, running a hand down his face. He didn’t want to snap at Eddie especially after such an amazing conversation. That wasn’t progress. He didn’t want a relationship like that either; he wanted Eddie to be free to say what he wanted but he needed Eddie to understand what was okay to think. It was so simple.

“I’m sorry, doll, I didn’t - look. You’re smart, you can imagine why I don’t want you sending a secret message to your mother.”

“I d-”

“Drop it, Eddie.”

“But it will help you!” 

Richie smiled at him. He knew, even if he wanted to pretend otherwise, that Eddie was only saying that because he thought it was what Richie wanted to hear. Eddie didn’t actually want to help Richie. The last hour was all the indication Richie needed to know that. It was a sad fact, but a true one nonetheless. Eddie just wanted to sneak a message out so that his mother would come looking. Or at least get someone else to, Richie doubted she’d be the one trekking through the barrens to search. 

“You’re sweet,” Richie finally said. “But we already left a note for your mom. I didn’t want to tell you. Because I thought it would make you sad.”

“What?”

“Stan’s great at copying handwriting. Bill took some of your writing. It was short but sweet, just like you!” Richie kept on smiling. Eddie looked paler than normal. “It said that you love her but you needed to go back to New York. Also talks about the abuse just as a little fuck you.”

Eddie’s eyes filled with tears as Richie talked. He was absolutely planning something with his little note idea. Luckily, Richie was a damn good liar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: I can put the Losers in this chapter  
> Me, writing: REDDIE


	7. Chapter 7

Eddie felt really bad. Physically sick because of everything that was going on in his mind. It was too much. The drugged-out coma was almost better than whatever the hell was happening when he was awake. He’d laughed. Laughed at a joke that Richie had said, not because he was trying to appease his captor or to try and get out but because he had found Richie’s expression funny. As if they were friends. 

As if he hadn’t been kidnapped. 

It had sent a shock down his spine when he realized what he had done. He’d laughed with and talked to the man who had kidnapped him. The guilt was to almost handle much when he fully comprehended how disgusting that made him. What would his mother think? The police? The public? They’d think he had wanted this and wasn’t upset with what had happened. It’d be his fault they were thinking like that.

Then he had remembered a code word that his mother had drilled into him. How could he be so stupid to forget it? She might have forgotten it, yes, but it was worth the try so he try he did. Only to find out that Richie had planned for that just like he had planned for everything else. When Richie said he’d planned a letter, a little smile on his face, Eddie had felt his heart break into two. He couldn’t think of another way out of here, unless a Loser would help but that was doubtful, so he was trapped. 

It was terrifying, knowing that this wasn’t a spur of the moment decision. That he and the Losers had planned this out. 

Eddie started to cry, forcing himself to stop when it looked like Richie was going to move towards him. Luckily, Richie stayed away.

Only a few minutes later the others came down again. They seemed to be in high spirits, laughing with each other. Eddie couldn't understand it. Why were all six of these people okay with kidnapping him? Richie, sure, he seemed unhinged and probably deluded, but the others? Bev and Bill had seemed perfectly nice, normal, not-criminals when they had talked to him. Yet, here they were, laughing and climbing into an underground clubhouse that Eddie had been chained up in. Maybe Richie had a point, something was wrong in Derry. 

Stan handed Richie a black duffle bag while Beverly came to sit down next to Eddie on the sofa. She sat close, to close for Eddie to be comfortable with but he stayed silent. Richie’s threat was still fresh in his mind. What Richie was willing to do, Eddie didn’t want to know. He scared Eddie. How could he not after everything he had done? Sure he had been kind, calmed Eddie down and didn’t seem that bad all the time but he had still kidnapped him.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

Beverly smiled at him, “you seem glum.”

“I’m chained to a wall.”

“For some people that’s a fun, steamy night,” Beverly replied. Eddie didn’t know what that meant. Who in their right mind would want to be chained to anything? How was this fun? It didn’t make sense. When Eddie didn’t reply, Beverly’s smile grew only causing Eddie to be more confused about the whole thing. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Please -”

Richie interrupted him, “don’t ask that.” He snapped his mouth when Richie spoke, his cheek stinging at the idea of another hit. Eddie hadn’t even realized that he was listening to them.

“Sorry, Eddie,” Beverly patted his hand once. “Don’t worry, I’m helping you. Right now. By keeping you here with us and Richie.”

“You’re as crazy as Richie.”

She rolled her eyes. “He’s far worse.”

“Hardly,” Richie scoffed as he came over to them with the bag in his hands. Beverly rolled her eyes again. They didn’t seem to be scared of Richie. Indebted to him, sure, but not scared. If Bill hadn’t been lying then they’d been friends since they were young so maybe that was why. They’d grown used to how crazy Richie is while also becoming more insane than most. 

Eddie eyed the bag warily. Fuck, he didn’t want to die in here. 

The others also came closer, lounging around on the various furniture. Eddie had to hand it to them, the clubhouse was impressive. The hammock was strung up safely and did actually look comfortable. There was carpet on the floor and the light hanging from the ceiling was high enough that Eddie didn’t hit it as he walked - Richie did - it was warm enough down there as well. Especially with the jumper that they’d put on him while he was sleeping. And he had no idea how the sofa had gotten down there. It wasn’t even that dirty for being made of dirt.

Bill ended up on his other side, further away than Beverly but still closer than Eddie deemed necessary. The idea of germs, illness and disease ran through Eddie’s mind before he could get it under control. Sonia had drilled those fears into him from when he was only young and even now he couldn’t quite control it. Was Bill sick? Did Bev have a bug? He’d been too out of it before to think about anything other than the fact that he had been kidnapped. But now his mind was clearer. Which even more to worry about. 

There were more pressing issues at hand, though. Namely the bag that Eddie didn’t want anything to do with. Richie pushed the bag closer to him and when Eddie didn’t move Bill reached forward to grab it and place it on his lap. Again, he didn’t move. Beverly reached across him and opened the zip. Eddie had no idea what to expect in that bag. Torture devices? Souvenirs for other people that had been taken? Pictures of Eddie from who knows how long? A head? Anything could have been in there. 

What he was not expecting was a whole bunch of tapes he had never seen before as well as his clothes and a picture of him and his dad. He was hesitant to put his hand in the bag, wary of something going wrong, but he did anyway. Reaching in to pull out the tape on top of the pile and reading the label of ‘Eds <3’. The second tape he found was similar, ‘to Eddie love Bev’. He looked at her, frowning in confusion. 

“All of us made you a tape with our favourite songs on them last night,” Stan said. 

“Just a little gift,” Mike smiled.

“Why?” 

“You’re going to be down here along, so we thought it might be nice for you to have some music,” Ben explained. “And this means you can get to know us while we’re not here.”

Eddie stared at the bag. There were about fifteen tapes in there, resting on his favourite pair of joggers. What the actual fuck was happening to him? This had to be some really weird fever dream? It didn’t make any sense. No way did six people kidnap him and were now giving him mixtapes? Of their favourite songs so he could ‘get to know them’ while he was left chained up nonetheless. It was all too much. 

“Plus there’s a few that I made,” Richie said. 

“We’re ha-happy to make you more, with s-songs you like.”

Now that was complicated. Because Eddie wasn’t allowed to listen to music. His mother had banned it from their house, aside from a select few worship songs, because it had bad messages. Eddie’d heard a few songs simply because he went outside and watched the occasional movie. But he’d never had a favourite song. Never fell in love with a band or a singer. He’d never gotten to make a mixtape or share songs with his friends. 

And here his kidnappers were, giving him something he’d longed after for the majority of his childhood. 

How was that supposed to make him feel? A disgusting and confusing mix of angry, upset, scared and yet giddy at the same time. And that in itself made him feel even worse. Was he actually excited at the prospect of listening to music in a clubhouse that he was being held in against his will? It seemed crazy but it was what was happening. He was allowed to be happy, right? After so much sadness in the last few hours. What an impressive reaction to a bag of tapes and clothes. 

“We don’t have to worry about that now,” Richie said. “I think it’s only fair that we get to know each other. Eddie?”

“I’m not telling you about my life.”

“Fine, then I’ll tell you all about mine.”

Stan groaned, “Richie you talk for hours at a time.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to listen to it,” Stan continued. 

“Well if Eddie isn’t going to -” Richie was cut off by a noise overhead. Everyone freezing, looking up for just a moment before the second sound. A man. A man was yelling not far from them at all. 

The moment that Eddie opened his mouth, fully prepared to scream louder than ever before, Richie jumped. He ended up kneeling on Eddie, pressing him back onto the sofa. It hurt, his knees jammed into Eddie’s stomach. Just as he was about to yell, scream for help, Richie’s hand was slammed into his mouth. He yelled anyway, but it was so muffled with the force of Richie’s hand that practically nothing was heard. The man wouldn’t hear. 

“Shh,” Richie shushed him. “It’s alright.” 

So Eddie started hitting. Smacking Richie everywhere he could as hard he could. Anything to get him off. Richie said something quietly but Eddie’s ears were ringing. He couldn’t hear a thing. Not a moment later Beverly and Bill had each grabbed a hand. They pulled his arms down to their laps, trapping him there. Once he was being held down by them, Richie shuffled around while being careful not to take his hand on Eddie’s mouth. He ended up straddling Eddie. Their faces practically pressed against each other’s with Richie’s hand as a barrier. 

“You’re okay, Eddie, you’re safe,” Beverly whispered to him. 

Eddie kept yelling. Screaming through Richie’s hand while tears poured down his face. Bev reached up a few times to wipe them away. The action made Eddie feel ill. The other Losers sat around silently. No one dared move too much or say a word. Above them, the man was still calling out. Once Richie pressed a kiss to his forehead which stunned Eddie to silence for a moment before he started screaming even louder than before. 

He didn’t want to think about why Richie kept kissing him. 

“S-stop moving, Eddie.”

After what seemed like years of torture, the man’s voice started fading away. Slowly, so slowly that Eddie didn’t even realize it was happening. Until there was no sound coming from above them. He continued to sob. His throat was raw and burning, his ankle screaming in pain from the chain, his legs dead from Richie’s weight and his arms and wrists stretched to discomfort. Yet none of that compared to the agony in his head. The swirling and unending thoughts that he couldn’t get rid of that seemed to shout louder than before. How close had he been to freedom in that moment? 

And yet he was still chained up in a basement. 

“Why the hell was someone out there?” Richie asked as he got off Eddie. He’d stayed on long after the voice had stopped. Too long to - Eddie didn’t want to go down that path. “No one comes out here?” 

“He was calling for Eddie,” Stan supplied. He’d been sitting on the ladder. Head practically touching the door. 

Eddie burst into tears. Sobs racked his body as he curled into a ball and tried his best to shake anyone who touched him off. They got the idea. 

“Why would they be looking for him?” Beverly asked. Eddie sobbed again. 

“Sonia probably -”

“Fuck!” Richie cut Stan off. “Okay. It’s fine.”

“They’ll stop looking,” Mike said in a tone that almost soothed Eddie down. It definitely calmed Richie. He was still agitated though, pacing and running his hands through his hair as he mumbled. “As you said by the end of the week Eddie will be labelled as a runaway and we’ll be okay.”

“They'd better. Fuck!” 

“Your parents called,” Stan said, interrupting Richie before he could continue. “They want you to call them back.”

Eddie tried to calm himself down as he listened to the Losers talking amongst themselves. It would do no good panicking and sobbing. Richie swore again before nodding at Stan and then turned back to Eddie, Bev and Bill. “Beverly, can you stay down here with Eddie?” She nodded. Richie came over to them, first whispering something into Bev’s ear before turning and kissing Eddie’s forehead again while he cupped his cheek. Eddie stayed still. “We’ll be back soon.”

And, just like that, Richie and all but one Loser were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Predictions for what's going to happen next? Hint: it's Richie's chapter...


	8. Chapter 8

As soon as Richie stepped out of the clubhouse he felt like he was about to crumble. Ben was the only one to see the look of pure desperation on his face before Richie fixed himself.

There wasn’t time to be worried. Definitely wasn’t time to doubt himself. 

He wasn’t in the wrong. He repeated it over and over again. Richie wasn’t in the wrong. He had saved Eddie from a world that was going to kill him. If Richie hadn’t acted then Eddie wouldn’t have survived. Probably like Georgie but maybe even Greta or Patrick or - that list was long and Richie didn’t care to open it. 

No, Richie was doing the right thing and the whole town was in the wrong. Why had they been searching? Why wouldn’t they just cast Eddie aside like they had done before he had gone missing? It had to be Sonia, Richie just knew it. That bitch was ruining everything for him. She was the reason why he was panicking, doubting himself when he knew he wasn’t wrong! Sonia deserved to be face-to-face with Richie. God, that would be the best. 

“If you’re going to keep Eddie,” Stan said once they started walking. Far enough away that Eddie wouldn’t hear no matter what. “Then you need to keep your emotions in cheek.”

“It surprised me.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Mike replied.

Richie nodded once. Okay, he could concede that point. He shouldn’t have started freaking out down there. It would only stress Eddie out. Might even lead to Eddie thinking that Richie doubted his choice to take him. That couldn’t happen. It just couldn’t. “Yeah, I know. It won’t happen again.”

“He looked so sad,” Ben muttered.

“Because he is sad,” Richie shrugged.

“And you’re okay with that?”

“No but it’s not forever. He looked sad at school as well. He just hasn’t gotten to be happy yet, with us and when he was out here. I’ve got it under control. Once he actually knows what it’s like to be happy then it’ll be okay.”

Stan eyed him, “when did you get a psych degree?”

“Last night, after I finished banging your mom.”

“Those jokes don’t work when you kidnapped a boy to love.”

“I wouldn’t fuck your dad, Stanely, because he doesn’t look like he’d take it-”

“Shut the fuck up!” 

Mike rolled his eyes, “you’re disgusting.”

“Really gross.”

“Come on Haystack, I see that laughter in your eyes. All of you think I’m hilarious,” Richie teased. They got to the car, Mike’s truck, and Stan pushed Richie as he muttered that he no longer wanted to be friends while laughing to himself. Bill got into the front as he always did while Ben, Stan and Richie shoved themselves into the back. Once they got driving Richie sighed, “spit it out Billy. I know you’re pissed at me.”

Bill’s jaw clenched. Richie raised an eyebrow. “You hi-hit him. His check wa-wa-w fuck! It was red. There was a han-handprint.”

“Yeah.”

“What?” Ben asked.

“I slapped him when he asked to go home. I’m not going to deny it.”

“You hit him?” Stan almost looked angry. Almost.

Richie was almost surprised at their reactions. It made sense that they were sad. They were reacting emotionally, not logically like Richie was. Seeing the little red mark instead of the end result of Eddie being happy and safe, not like - “Bill,” he said calmly even though his mind was going as quickly as it always did. “If Georgie-”

“Don’t.”

“-could have been saved by just a little slap, would you have slapped him?”

“Richie,” Bill practically moaned out. Richie felt a little bad, but not enough to stop. 

“Would you?”

He nodded once, almost reluctantly. “I would.”

“So you understand why we have to slap Eddie?”

“We?” Stan asked. 

“I get it, but if he keeps asking to go home then we need to stop him. All of us.” There was a silence in the car. A silence that Richie revered in. They’d do it. For him, for Georgie, for Eddie. Richie hid his grin.

*~*

Richie called his parents from his own house, leaving a voice message on their hotel phone confirming that he was not dead and not to worry. Then he ran up to his room to grab an outfit change while his friends waited in the living room and most likely the kitchen. Maybe Richie could bring Eddie something nice. He hadn’t had any food yet, unless Bev had been able to get him to eat. Doubtful.

What would he want? What did Eddie consider a treat? He liked strawberries. He looked like someone who liked sweet treats. 

Stan called for him to hurry up. Richie complied, grabbing another jumper. His had been absolutely soaked when he was getting Eddie from his room. All of the Losers as well as Eddie had been drenched as they moved from the house to the car. Worth it, of course, but frustrating nonetheless. And then he grabbed another one. The image of Eddie wearing his jumper was far too good to pass up. He’d look an absolute sight. 

“I was thinking,” Richie started as he ran down the stairs, almost tripping as he did, “that we could go to the bakery on Main street.”

“Have you ever be-been to that ba-bakery?”

“No.”

“Why do you want to go?” Mike asked as they all walked out of his house and towards the car parked on the street. Across the road an older lady watched them before starting to come towards them. 

Ben didn’t let him answer, “you want to get something for Eddie. Don’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know,” Richie shrugged at Stan’s question. “Something he’d like.”

Mike frowned slightly but was interrupted by the lady who had gotten to them. “Hello there, Richie. I just wanted to check that you boys are alright? A boy your age went missing last night and I’d hate for anything to happen to you lot as well.”

“What happened?” Richie asked, voice sincere and curious. The others were obviously uncomfortable, practically making it obvious to which Richie wanted to scoff. If there was something Richie was good at, it was bullshitting adults into believing whatever he wanted them to believe. His friends did not have this talent. Which resulted in them looking at the ground and refusing to respond normally. Dumbasses.

“Oh it was just awful!” She replied with a little gasp. “They don’t know where he went. Sweet little thing just disappeared out of his bed. His mother is beside herself! They're brand new to town, you see.”

“I can’t believe it.”

“I know,” she shook her head sadly. “Well, stay safe and if you see the boy make sure you say something.”

Richie nodded, “thank you for checking up on me. I’m sure my parents will be happy to know people are watching,” he finished with a little laugh. Internally patting himself on the back as the lady got a glint in her eye. She was totally going to call his mom to have a ‘chat’ and have nothing but good things to say about the polite Richie Tozier who was not missing. He nudged Stan towards the car, all four of them moving too quickly to be normal. “Thank you!” 

*~*

The bakery wasn’t all that busy so it wasn’t long before Richie was pointing at pastry with shiny looking strawberries in it. And was then pointing at three chocolate muffins, an eclair and two apple pastries. Because Richie was a good friend and also because they had just helped him kidnap someone. A thank you is always appreciated, that’s what his mother had always said. 

Outside there was a police officer facing a telephone pole, another one standing with a stack of papers. Richie nearly cursed out loud. If that’s what he thought it was - he walked over to them, curious and innocent look on his face. His friends following, probably looking even more abnormal than with the old lady that Richie didn’t know the name of, no matter how hard he tried to remember. 

Still holding a box for seven he stopped beside, “is this about the runaway?”

“Runaway?” The one holding the papers asked, looking Richie up and down. 

“I mean, isn’t that what happened? That’s the rumour or whatever.”

“Really?”

Richie nodded, “he’s the new kid, right? He was constantly talking about how much he missed New York and wanted to go back home. Wasn’t he, Bill?”

“Y-yeah. Al-alway. Really mis-mis-missed h-home.”

“Heard his mom was really upset, though.”

Both police officers rolled their eyes as soon as Richie mentioned Sonia, the one by the pole speaking up. “She’s pretty determined that her son did not run away and that he’s been taken by someone. Said that he’s too delicate to run.”

“Is there any evidence to suggest that he did run?” 

“What’s with all the questions?”

“Wanna know, lots of rumours and stuff,” Richie shrugged. 

The first officer laughed, “morbid shit to be invested in. But, no, not that we can see. All his stuff's gone, he probably just snuck out during the rainstorm.”

“Wild. Well, have fun putting up photos!”

“Sure, kid.”

They all started backing up, heading back to the car so they could get back to Bev and Eddie after being away for about an hour already. Richie actually missed him. He never missed people. Not when he didn’t see Mike all day, not when his parents would leave for a week, not when he went away one whole summer and couldn’t see his friends at all. But here he was, only an hour later, and already missing his Eddie. 

“What the hell was th-that?”

“I wanted to know.”

Stan stared at him, eyes wide in disbelief. “You just-” he cut himself off with a shake of the head. “Just-”

“Inserted yourself into the investigation!” Mike said as they got into the car. “You made yourself a -”

“Suspect?” Richie scoffed. “They don’t even know me.”

“Everybody knows everybody!” Ben argued, Mike nodding as he started up the car. 

“And you ju-just involved all of us!” 

Richie could feel his knee bouncing as all of his friends started getting angry at him. He didn’t do anything wrong. It had been a smart decision on his part to find out what the police were thinking. Why couldn’t his friends see it how he saw it? What he did, everything he did, was a calculated move that would help him, Eddie, their relationship and their friends in the long run. He only cared about what the police knew because it involved him. Would he care if it was some random kid? No, of course not. 

“We did what you asked,” Mike said, he was calm but still - Richie could feel the tension. “I am okay with helping you with Eddie but this? This is too much. You literally told them that you were interested in the case!”

“It’s t-to much!”

“We said we weren’t going to stir anything up,” Ben continued. 

“It wa-won’t help us if you g-go and talk to the police.”

“Please just think before you -”

“Shut the fuck up!” Richie yelled. It was so sudden that Mike swerved the car and Ben stopped speaking instantly. “Just shut up and drive back to the clubhouse. If you don’t like it, leave.” He meant it. If they didn’t want to be involved they didn’t have to be. So long as they stayed silent, they could stay away. No one spoke. No one made eye contact with Richie, none of them other than Stan even looked at him. Even Bill stayed silent in the front. For once. 

If they didn’t want to support Richie then they could fuck off. He’d have Eddie even if they didn’t have him. And it wasn’t like they could go and turn him in. They’d all end up in a cell and that wasn’t exactly an end result that any of them wanted. So they could stay silent alone or they could be happy with their friends. That was better, wasn’t it? Either way, Richie would be with Eddie. They’d be happy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW violence and discussions of murder and child abuse

“You’re not what I expected.”

“What?”

Beverly shrugged. “Like, who Richie would choose. You know? But then I can see why he wanted you. You’re cute.” 

“Right.”

“I’m serious,” she replied. They were still sitting pressed up against each other on the sofa. It hadn’t been all that long since the Losers had left them. Eddie and Beverly had sat in silence, although Eddie had to admit that it was more comfortable than with Richie. Even if Beverly looked at him with a glint that made Eddie think of a lioness just before she pounced. 

“I-”

“Honestly it wasn’t even that surprising that he went down this path.”

“Bever-”

“A lot of girls in town like him. I mean, a lot more people hate him. But there’s this group of girls that all like him way too much. I get a lot of shit because of that, which pisses me off. He’s got that mysterious thing down, obviously, and he routinely beats people up which they seem to like. I never got that, I mean Ben’s such a softie and I love him for that.” 

“Please-”

She shushed him, waving a hand in the air to dismiss him. “I mean, sure, it’s kind of fun to not know if he’s going to kill you or kiss you but they take it to such an extreme. It’s embarrassing to witness. And I’m not the only Loser to think that! We all think they’re desperate. Stan especially.”

“Beverly-”

“Eddie,” she sighed and shook her head. “I’m trying to help you.”

“No you’re not.”

“Yes, I am. Trust me.” 

Eddie shook his head furiously as she spoke, tears falling from his eyes. Why were these people like this? Acting like they were doing this for him. They were doing it from themselves, for Richie, and for no one else. How could they not see that? Granted, they weren’t as bad as they could be. The cellar was warm and Richie had brought him books and blankets. It could be a hell of a lot worse. But that didn’t mean they were doing this for him. Of course it didn’t.

He controlled his sobbing, clearing his mind of the thoughts. Beverly was watching him, not a hint of remorse on her face. “Please,” he whispered. 

“Don’t ask me that.”

“Let me go home.” 

Beverly smacked him. Across the check, harder than Richie had done. Eddie whimpered, his head whipping to the side at the force. He cupped his check, crying again. God it stung like a bitch. Eddie couldn’t even remember a time that his mother had hit him that hard. He moved his hand away from his face for a moment and almost passed out at the sight. It was covered in blood. His blood. It dripped down onto his lap, mixing with the tears and making Eddie feel sick. 

He was going to be sick. 

Apparently he looked it as well because a moment later a bucket was being held under his chin. He bent over slightly before proceeding to vomit. After not eating for a while, there really wasn’t anything to vomit on. Which was always the worst kind. His throat was burning and his face still hurt but the gentle stocking of his hair was the worst feeling of all. She had caused this - it was her fault - but yet she was acting like a concerned mother. 

Not like his mother, he thought almost subconsciously as he gasped for breath, she’d always get happy when Eddie was sick. That wasn’t good, was it? His mind was so fuzzy. He was only slightly aware that Beverly ran a tissue under his nose before holding it there. His mother wasn’t supposed to be happy he was sick, she was supposed to be worried like Beverly. Running her hand through his hair calmly and muttering that he was going to be okay. Eddie caught sight of the blood and gagged on an empty stomach. 

After far too long, Eddie pulled back. He flopped back against the sofa as Beverly tucked the bin out of sight. The majority of the blood, luckily and thanks to Beverly, had been cleaned up. Even his lap - which Eddie didn’t want to think about too much. She smiled at him, her eyes still holding a glint. It was almost fascinating to see. How warm she looked aside from that stare. She fit in with Richie, that was for sure.

But the others, Eddie pondered, why were they friends with him? Bill seemed more willing to help him than the others. He’d been the one to become friends with Eddie, at what Eddie could only guess was Richie’s directions. Stan, Eddie wasn’t sure truth be told. He constantly looked at Richie with a knowing look but seemed more resigned then Bev or Bill. And then there were Ben and Mike who seemed nice yet they were willing to do this so clearly that weren’t that nice. 

Beverly gripped his chin, pulling his head up to meet her gaze. “I told you not to ask me that.”

“You did.”

“I didn’t want to hit you,” she said before pausing and then laughing once. “I sound like my dad did.”

“Why did you hit me?” Eddie asked, knowing full well that he sounded pitiful. It hadn’t even been a day and he was already a crying, begging mess. Where was the Eddie that would fight back? But then, what was the point? Get hit again at best, at worst make Bev do something even more permanent. At least Beverly didn’t look at him like he was a pitiful baby.

She sighed, “Richie told me to. Said you have a habit of asking silly questions. Saying things you don’t quite understand. And he told me how to deal with those incidents. So that you stop. It’s all for your own good.”

“He told you to me?”

“Did you know that my father was an abusive piece of shit?” Beverly asked, ignoring Eddie’s question. Eddie nodded anyway. “Used to beat the shit out of me whenever he wanted just because he was a dick. Ever since I was little, he hurt me. So, about a year ago now, I had enough. He came after me and I hit him with a plate that I was washing. And then I hit him again and again and again and you can see where this is going.” She paused, looked at Eddie and then laughed slightly. “I’m not telling you this story to scare you into thinking I might kill you. Richie’d kill me if I did that and I don’t want to be an- a victim of his.”

“What?”

“I called him,” she ignored him again. “Richie. As soon as I did it. You know what he did when I told him that I killed my own dad? He laughed and asked what took so long.”

“Laughed?”

She nodded, “as if I had just told the funniest joke ever. That was the moment that I knew Richie wasn’t like everyone else in Derry. He’d taken all the shit Derry threw at him and ran with it. Became better than the rest.”

“What happened?”

“He came over and we took the body to some road beside a dive-bar. I went back to his and we pretended that I had been with him all day. Bill confirmed with the police, told them that we had hung out.”

“You all-”

“Lied? Yeah. They made sure that I looked innocent.”

Eddie was almost impressed. They’d been, what, 17? And had gotten away with murder. “I guess it worked.”

“Very well. Bill and I owe Richie the most, out of all of the Losers. But that’s enough sad stories and I think Richie would hurt me if I told you things he didn’t want you knowing.”

The fact that Eddie didn’t think Beverly was lying was probably the biggest worry. 

*~*

“What the fuck happened?” Richie asked as soon as his feet touched the floor of the clubhouse. Eddie looked up from where he had curled up on the sofa. Beverly had gotten off the hammock, standing in front of Richie. Eddie guessed he looked as bad as he felt, for Richie to yell so quickly. It wasn’t like he could look. There were no mirrors. “I leave for an hour and he’s covered in blood! Did you fucking ride his face on your -”

“Beep beep,” Stan interrupted. “That’s fucking disgusting.”

Richie rolled his eyes, “why is he covered in blood and why is there a basket of vomit next to the ladder?”

“Well, turns out Eddie gets sick at the sight of blood.”

All of the Losers were looking at Eddie questioningly. “If there's a lot of it.”

“Why were you bleeding?” Mike asked. 

“Beverly hit me.”

Then all the Losers turned to look at her. Not, Eddie noted, surprisingly. As if they already knew why Beverly hit him. She shrugged and answered anyway. “He asked to go home. I warned him.”

“Silly,” Richie muttered as he walked over to the sofa. All the Losers found a place to sit aside from Ben who went over to the stereo that had been tucked into the bookcase, placing in a tape. Eddie, to no one's surprise, didn’t know the song that started up. The others did though. For a moment Eddie was jealous. Why couldn’t he get to listen to music? What had he done wrong? But he got to know, and from the first ten seconds of listening, Eddie was already in love with the soft notes and smooth melody. 

Stan sat down and opened a box. Instantly Eddie could smell food. Fuck he was hungry. It smelled good too. Like - “strawberry,” Richie said as he handed Eddie a pasty wrapped in a napkin. “As sweet as you. And as edible.”

Eddie took the pastry. He was hungry but could he trust that it wasn’t poisoned? Drugged? It wasn’t like the group hadn’t killed before. Perhaps this was their way of getting rid of him and all of this was some fucked up game they like to play. Kidnapping a person only to kill them a few hours later just for some fun. Like they’d said - Derry was a boring place. Eddie stared at the pastry. Even if it was poisoned, would that be so bad?

Richie scoffed, took the pastry back, bit into it, ate it and then handed it back. “Trust me, Eds, if I’m going to kill someone it’s not going to be by poisoning.”

“That doesn’t make me less nervous,” Eddie replied. But as Richie laughed, Eddie took a bite. Richie was right, it was sweet. The kind of thing Sonia would never allow.

“Ri-Richie likes to g-get his hands dirty.”

“Oh?” His voice cracked causing all the Losers to smile to themselves. No one commented.

“Poisson's the most boring method,” Stan declared as if his word was absolute. That then devolved into a very heated debate about the most boring method of killing a person between everyone aside from Richie and Eddie. From the way they brought up examples, Eddie couldn’t help but be frightened. It wasn’t a normal conversation though. That was for sure. 

Richie shuffled closer. “Fancy seeing you here.” Eddie didn’t reply. “You know you can talk to me, right? I’m not gonna attack you for telling me that I’m not funny or whatever.”

“Right.”

“I only hit you because you said - that. Don’t say that or things like it and you won’t get hit.”

“You sound insane.”

“See!” Richie smiled at him, “I’m not angry that you just called me insane. That’s fine.”

“Truly. You belong in a mental hospital.”

He shrugged, “only if you’re there.”

“I’m not a criminally-insane person so I won’t be.”

“Look at us,” Richie sighed dramatically before falling sideways so he ended up resting across Eddie’s lap. By the time the shock had passed and Eddie fully realized what had happened, Richie was continuing and no amount of pushing and shoving was going to get him to move. “Don’t you just love it?”

“No.”

Richie rolled his eyes but his little grin was a dead give away and - oh, Eddie had never noticed how pretty Riche’s eyes were. Pretty. He’d never seen eyes as deep and, well, pretty before. Richie stared at him like he knew what Eddie was thinking. 

“It’s alright. I think you’re gorgeous too.”

“That’s not-”

“Oh shush.”

“I didn’t.”

“It’s alright, you can totally tell me you wanna fuck me.” Eddie knew his face gave away how bewildered he looked when Richie laughed. “You know about that, don’t you? Fucking.”

Eddie frowned. “I do.”

“Defensive.”

“Stop teasing him,” Stanley cut in. 

Beverly nodded, “it’s perfectly reasonable to not know what fucking is.”

“I do!” Why he felt the need to prove himself to these people was beyond him in that moment.

“Save that for the altar, honey bun,” Richie said; still laying across his lap. Eddie scowled at him causing Richie to laugh again. The mere idea sent a jolt of shock down him. It was ridiculous - boys couldn’t get married plus he had been kidnapped - but still. It was a weird moment. Richie just watched him before, when Eddie looked back down winked, as if he was dead serious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, poor Eddie. Only gets worse babe.


	10. Chapter 10

It turns out that having a person locked in your clubhouse is actually harder than first thought. In that first weekend that Eddie had been down there, Richie had discovered some things about the whole situation. Mainly that this whole, being an owner thing, was hard. It was really hard. Because he couldn’t leave. His friends came and went over the two days, but Richie was there from the morning till late at night. Sitting in, more often than not, silence with Eddie curled up on the sofa. Plus, he couldn’t complain to anyone about it. His parents couldn’t know, his friends would think that he was weak and Eddie couldn’t know that Richie was struggling. 

It was hard. But it was so worth it. His days were simple and full of Eddie. Which made up for any annoying shit. 

But now came the next challenge. Dealing with all this and school. On Monday morning he woke up earlier than he normally would, got ready and headed out towards the barrens, all before the sun had come up. The other Losers wouldn’t join him. They’d offered - Bev especially and Richie had almost said yes because Eddie seemed the most comfortable with her - but in the end, he’d declined to have them. 

He parked his car and made the ten-minute walk to the trap door. He unpinned the lock and headed down. The light was still off, the sofa still a bed. Richie was thankful it was so easy to make into a bed, Eddie could do it on his own. Speaking of Eddie, he was tucked into a corner of the bed with his blankets cocooning him in a little ball. Richie stopped by the ladder for a moment, just watching him. 

And then it was completely ruined because he kicked the table as he walked into the room, and then cursed rather loudly. Eddie jumped up, eyes going straight to Richie even in his sleepy state. They were wide and scared for a second before he realized who had come down the ladder. Richie took it as a win. 

“Hey, Eds,” Richie said, placing his bag on the table. “How are you?”

“What?” Eddie asked, sitting up straighter and pushing the blankets away.

“Good morning. I bought you some breakfast and I’ll bring you lunch on my break. And look, coffee!”

“I’d rather you didn’t.”

Richie didn’t reply. Instead, he grabbed the container that held a sandwich and went to hand it over to Eddie. Like every time anyone tried to offer him any food or drink, Eddie didn’t take it. Sighing, Richie opened the lid and took his own bite and then a sip of the coffee before handing it to Eddie who thankfully took it. Anything homemade was a battle, Eddie much preferring to be given store-bought food. Hopefully, that would go away soon enough. Richie simply didn’t have the budget to keep up with only store-bought. 

“You’re quiet this morning.”

“And you’re still here.”

“If I wasn’t you’d have no food,” Richie pointed out. 

“Oh no.”

Rolling his eyes, Richie went over to the stereo and placed his mixtape on quietly. He wasn’t an idiot; he knew that Eddie enjoyed the music. Like, a lot. As soon as the stereo went on, Eddie started to relax. He also noticed how Eddie always reacted like each song was new which was kind of weird. Especially because a lot of the songs were well known and a bit older - aside from Ben’s whose playlist was full of boyband hits from the year before. 

“You’re very ungrateful, I made you that sandwich myself.”

“It’s gross.”

That was another thing. When Eddie did speak, he didn’t hold back on the insults. He always looked scared afterwards as if he was expecting a hit, but he still said it. Richie had to give him points for that. He knew that Eddie was a little spitfire and whenever he got to see it, he enjoyed it. Even if it meant that he was the one getting insulted. And it was him, he hardly ever insulted the others. 

“You’re rude. Anyway, what are you going to do today? You’ll be alone.”

“I’m going to slowly chip away at the stone around the chain attached to my foot.”

“Funny,” Richie replied, grinning at him. Eddie took another bite of the sandwich. At least he was eating. “I’ve got to go. Bev will kill me if I make her late again. Mike works a lot but he might turn up at some point but I will be here for lunch.”

“Goody.”

Richie pulled the table away from the ladder. “Read, do a puzzle. Whatever, just be safe and I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Hope you crash and die,” Eddie spat, his eyes going wider than usual when he finished. 

“You say that until I’m dead and you’re stuck down here.”

Eddie didn’t reply and from the looks of it, Richie was not going to get anything else. Eddie had closed off again, retreating into his own mind. Richie leant over the bed and pressed a kiss to his forehead, smiling through Eddie’s flinch. 

*~*

“We have an assembly second period.”

“Fuck that, I’ll go to Ed-”

“Shut the fuck up, you fucking dumbass.”

“Jesus Christ, Stan.”

“Everyone knows that name,” Stan said quietly. “So we are not going to go around talking about him.”

Richie held his hands up in surrender. “Alright. But I am ditching.”

“You can’t,” Stan shook his head.

“Whole ass-ss-sembly is about how a kid wah-went missing,” Bill explained, frowning at how bad his stutter was. “Ma-mandatory.” 

The Losers minus Mike and Eddie were walking into school. Bill had driven himself and Stan while Richie picked Ben and Bev up. And apparently Bill and Stan had heard something in the few minutes they’d been at school without the others as they explained to everyone else what was happening. For a moment Richie wondered who had told them - it wasn’t like they had any other friends outside the Losers. Richie wouldn’t know how he would react if they did.

Now that was interesting. Was it not? Richie didn’t think he could handle his friends having other friends and yet he’d been the one to bring Eddie in. He was allowed another friend (or more) while they were stuck. Richie could see the irony, but at the end of all his soul searching he found that he really didn’t care. 

“See you guys then, I guess,” Richie said as they were forced to split apart. Bill, Ben and him walking one way while Bev and Stan went another - already gossiping amongst themselves.

“How was, you know?” Ben asked as they walked.

“Pissy that I was there. He ate some food though.”

“That’s good.”

“Hopefully he won’t be as pissy when I go back for lunch.”

Ben made a face, “you can’t expect him to be happy straight away.”

“I know.”

“Hu-how’s his ankle?”

Richie shrugged. It was a point of worry. How Eddie constantly rubbed his ankle against the chain. They’d tried to wrap his ankle with gauze but that had ended badly - with Stan and Richie getting kicked in the face before Richie declared that Eddie could hurt until he would behave. Until tonight, he had gotten a slip-on bandage type thing and Eddie was putting it on even if he had to be drugged again. That was the worst-case; Richie did not want to rely on drugs throughout this. 

“He was sleeping when I arrived, so he was sleepy. I gave him breakfast and put on some music before I left.”

“He’s weird about the music, isn’t he?” Ben asked.

“I nuh-noticed that as well.”

Richie hummed, “it’s odd. He looks like Ben did when that New Kids on the Block tape dropped last month. But all the time.”

“Fuck off Richie.”

“I’m serious.”

“He’s nuh-not wrong.”

“Thank you!”

“He all-always looks excited. But like he’s trying to hide it f-from us.”

Ben made a face, “of course he’s trying to hide it.”

“Why would you say that, Benny-Boy?”

“You locked him in the clubhouse, why would he be open with you or any of us?”

“Last people he was open with were B-Bev and I. And then we helped you ta-take him.”

The group had to separate then. All of them heading off to their own classes. Maths first, which was a class that Richie actually found that he enjoyed so he actually tried to push the thoughts of Eddie and music and ankles and locks out of his mind and listened to his teacher go on about equations. He found it quite nice to be able to think about something else. Even if every few minutes his mind would slip to think of Eddie sitting, waiting for Richie. 

What a picture. For a moment as his teacher talked Richie thought of the future. Because Eddie wasn’t going to be locked in the clubhouse forever. They’d be going to California soon, all seven of them. Richie would become famous and they’d just claim that they had run into Eddie there; of course, they hadn’t seen him. That’s when Eddie would be free to roam their house with no chain. Waiting for Richie to get home like a good househusband. God, he couldn’t wait. 

Later on in the morning, he met up with his friends in the hall and the group walked to the mandatory assembly to talk about the missing kid that they had made disappear. Richie slung his arm around Stan’s shoulders as a kid in their year sneered at the group. “Stanley, I need to ask you a question.”

“Leave me alone.”

“You’re a hit with the grandmas, so tell me. How do I woo a person?” 

“I regret the day I became friends with you.” 

“No you don’t. I was thinking about our friend, you see, and want to woo him.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“But I just can’t figure out how to do it.”

Beverly laughed, “and because Stan’s such a hit with the grandmas you thought you should go to him?” 

“Exactly.” 

They were ushered into the hall where the rest of the student body had already assembled, the group going up towards the back. Where, hopefully, they could mess around and not be caught. Richie looked around, wondering where Eddie would be sitting if he hadn’t been taken to the clubhouse with them. He’d be an outcast like them, yes. There was no one in Derry that would accept Eddie aside from the Losers. But would Eddie have become a Loser if not pushed?

“Thank you all for attending and arriving promptly,” their principal started in his monotone voice that caused Richie to want to rip his ears off, causing everyone to go silent and look at him. “I am sure that you are all aware why you’ve been called in. This is a sensitive matter so please know that all of your teachers are happy to talk if you're worried or upset. One of our newest students, Eddie Kaspbrak, has gone missing. This-” 

“He pronounced his last name wrong,” Beverly whispered to Richie. Leaning across Ben to say it. “That’s not how you say it.”

“I hate him, he’s a fucking idiot,” Richie muttered back. Beverly grinned at him, returning back to her seat before a teacher could see. 

“-shaken the community at large. The police are not suspecting foul play, so I do not want students panicking that someone is out to get them as-”

“Bit late for that,” Richie murmured to his friends. None of them replied but all of them had to hide their little grins at the comment. An image of another student flashed in Richie’s mind; Patrick. The feeling of euphoria Richie had felt when - 

“Please,” their principal's voice rang out. “If you see something say something. We now have a guest speaker who will explain how to keep your mental health happy while this is going on around you. Please welcome her warmly.” 

And that was where Richie checked out entirely.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Child abuse, mentioned. Eddie thinks back on how his mother treated him (physical and mental/controlling). Richie mentions Beverly's dad and his abuse.

Eddie sat. There wasn’t much else he could do. After Richie had left he’d made the bed, changing it back into a sofa. At least, amongst all the bullshit, the sofa-bed was comfortable. 

There were no clocks in the clubhouse. It seemed like it had been about two hours since Richie had left, but that was a guess at best. He couldn’t even look out the trap door to see if he could see the sun. Although he’d never needed to tell the time from the sun before, so maybe he wouldn't even know how to read it. Not that he was able to see if he could. With the chain restricting his movement. No going up the ladder. 

It was nice how clean the place was. And there was a dustbin and a rubbish bin shoved into the shelving unit. Richie didn’t seem like the kind who cleaned, but some of the others did. It made the entire space nicer. At some point during the day, Eddie would probably end up cleaning. His mother had raised him to clean, cleanliness was instilled in him. And while the space wasn’t as bad as it could have been - it could always be cleaner.

Leaning back against the sofa, Eddie sighed. The container that had held his sandwich and now held the camping mug. Apparently it was Eddie’s new coffee mug. As much as he hated to admit it, Richie did make good coffee. He’d brought a few now, after integrating Eddie for far too long about his preferences. The sandwich was good as well. Which kind of annoying, it’d be nice if Richie was some awful, ugly piece of shit. That’d make the whole situation easier.

Because he had to admit. Richie wasn’t that unattractive. He was kind of gangly, but he was tall. And his hair was a mess but Eddie couldn’t say that he hated it. He would, of course, say that if Richie ever asked. Even if it seemed that he already knew how Eddie felt. At least a little. But, he tried to reason with himself in an empty clubhouse, it was nothing but surface-level attraction. Richie was pretty similar to Eddie’s type. That wasn’t Eddie’s fault. It was probably biological. 

The song changed, some kind of love song coming on. It seemed the majority of the songs on this playlist were love songs. It was nice, even if the idea of Richie making a love song playlist for Eddie didn’t sit right. He had found a love of music though. And either the others always played music or they’d figured out that he liked it, leaving it on pretty much all day. 

They weren’t too bad. The Losers. It was a weird name, but the way they’d explained it seemed sweet in a weird way. They seemed nice enough. Chatting casually between themselves and always trying to include Eddie. They’d never hurt him. Hadn’t even insulted him. 

Eddie shook his head. They’d kidnapped him. That was what was important to remember and think. Not how Beverly had explained how the stereo worked, or how Stan had brought him a book on birds that was his favourite or how Mike had talked about the farm animals which kind of made Eddie want to go and see them or how Ben had talked him through all the artists on the different CDs, even when Eddie refused to reply. Or how they’d clearly done their best to make the space inviting and stimulating for Eddie. None of that was important.

The kidnapping. 

He’d be kidnapped. He was currently chained to a wall. His mother was looking for him. That was what he needed to remember. 

But he was bored and that puzzle did look kind of inviting. 

*~*

Richie turned up a few hours later. Eddie had started the puzzle, getting the borders finished and one corner started. It was big, 2500 pieces. It would probably take him a while to finish it if he did it by himself. It was of a house; clearly abandoned and falling apart. It was surrounded by a broken fence and dying bushes. The entire picture was dark, the scene a horror. That was fitting. 

He’d just finished placing a piece to complete one bush when Richie came down. The trap door opening and letting in an uncomfortable amount of light as it always did before it was swung closed. Eddie looked up to see who it was before turning back to the puzzle, content to ignore him until he was forced to leave. Although Richie didn’t seem the type to get upset about skipping. Whatever. He’d have to leave eventually. 

“Hey, baby. I brought you lunch and well wishes from Bev whatever the fuck that means. I was going to bring leftovers but then I thought that’s not fair. You deserve something nicer than leftovers. So I raced to that bakery again. I got this muffin, it looks nice. I don’t know, you look like you eat healthy shit so -”

“Do you ever shut up?” Eddie interrupted, his voice scratchy. Jesus. There goes his plan of ignoring him. Why couldn't Eddie keep his mouth closed? Especially around Richie, it seemed. 

“No,” Richie shrugged. He tore a piece of the muffin off, passed the rest to Eddie and then sat down in the hammock, ate the muffin and then winked. “It’s a gift.”

“I don’t think it is.”

“The Losers agree with you then. How’s the puzzle going?”

Eddie shrugged and took the muffin. There was a possibility that it was poisoned, like always, but it did look nice and Eddie was pretty hungry. “I was bored.” 

“Your home, you can do whatever you want,” Richie dismissed. Eddie frowned at the comment, Richie continued like Eddie hadn’t reacted. “I wanted to ask because you didn’t say anything and I assumed that you would. You had medicine in your room, do you like need it? I grabbed an inhaler but you haven’t asked for it. I mean, you’ve been here for ages and haven’t mentioned it so I figured-”

“Oh my god, stop talking. You’re giving me a headache,” Eddie interrupted again. He frowned at the puzzle as Richie sat silent. He was a fucking idiot - that could have been something he’d used to get out of here. But Richie was right; it had been a few days since he’d been taken. If he needed medicine he would have brought it up. Jesus, how could he not think of that? Before answering, Eddie placed another puzzle piece. “It’s not real,” he admitted. “My medicine and inhaler are fake. My mom got placebos and I grew up thinking I was sick.”

“What the fuck?”

“It’s pretty fucked. I only found out a few weeks ago. My chemist told me when he found out I was moving.” 

Richie was looking at him wide-eyed, “she lied? About you being sick?” He sounded astounded. Like he had any right to be astounded, Eddie thought bitterly, he’d kidnapped him and all. But it was kind of nice to garner a reaction that proved Eddie right. His mother had acted like it was no big deal. At least Richie agreed with him. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Is that a first?” Eddie asked with a little smile. He’d made Richie speechless. Something that he had found hard to do. 

“I think so,” Richie said before chuckling. “I’m sorry she did that.”

“She said it was for my own good.”

“Beverly’s dad used to say that before he beat the shit out of her.”

Eddie nodded, “and then Beverly killed him.” 

“She told you about that?”

“And that you helped her afterwards.”

“You sound jealous,” Richie winked. “If you want to go and kill your mom you just have to say the word.” 

That threw Eddie for a loop. He had a complicated relationship with his mother, that was no secret. It had always been a strained relationship even if Eddie hadn’t always understood that it was. And ever since he was about thirteen, when she started upping the amount of control she had over him, it had been worse. Finding out that practically everything had been a lie his whole life had been a partially bad blow to their relationship. But he’d never thought about killing her. 

Even when she was hurting him. When she’d first hit him on his first day of middle school when he said that he’d made some new friends. Or when she had banned him from joining the track team, and then pulled him out of PE altogether because of his asthma and other ailments. Which were just tools she created. Not even when she moved him to Derry for no reason other than to keep him away from college. Or when she would hit and kick and verbal assault him before making him apologize to her for it. He’d never thought about killing her.

“You’re thinking about.”

“I’m not,” even he knew that it sounded weak. 

“Sure,” Richie nodded. “Like I said, if you want I’m sure we can arrange it. Not our first time murdering someone.”

Our. Our first time. “Her’s was in self-defence,” Eddie tried to argue. 

“No? He was just standing in the kitchen. She’d had enough. No more or less self-defence than you killing your mother. Which, by the way, she deserves.”

“Have you killed anyone?” Eddie asked before he could really think the question through. He didn’t know if he wanted to know or not. 

Richie laughed, “what did Bev say?”

“That she didn’t want to tell me anymore. Because you’d be mad.” 

“She’s not wrong,” Richie agreed before looking at his watch. “I’ve got to get back to school.”

“You didn’t answer.”

“Can’t be late.”

He stood, walking past Eddie so that he could kiss the top of his head before he continued on up the ladder. Eddie stayed still as Richie touched him. Not leaning into the hand cupping his cheek but not pulling away either. He could have pulled away. Should have pulled away if he was being honest. But he didn’t. Richie flung open the trap door, the light coming in again and burning Eddie’s eyes. “Wait-” 

“Ask me later, Eds, we’ll talk about it then.”

“No. I was just wondering what the time was?”

Richie looked at him, smiling warmly with his head already out the hole. “Why do you need to know that?”

Before Eddie could answer, Richie was out of the room. The trap door swinging shut and the lock being put in place. Eddie found that he liked the semi-darkness better. It didn’t hurt his eyes like the sun did. He turned back to his puzzle. The next piece fit in, forming part of the gate along the front of the house. Maybe the other Losers would come and do it with him when they came in next. 

He thought it before he could catch himself. He shouldn’t want to do the puzzle with them, he shouldn’t want them to come near him. Maybe it was some kind of weird psychological response. Not even to the kidnapping but to having people be nice to him. He’d never fit in, never had friends. Never had nice interactions with anyone - even if those people had been sizing him up and buttering him up and then kidnapping him. Perhaps his brain hadn’t caught up to that. All he saw were six people who apparently wanted to be his friend. 

The music turned off. The sudden silence was jarring. Eddie got up and went to the box of tapes sitting beside the speaker. He pulled out Mike’s mixtape, he was going through all of them aside from Richie’s. He took Stan’s out - which mainly old fashioned stuff with a few slower songs from bands that sounded similar to the ones that Bill and Bev had provided. Mike’s going in, the first song a love song. So far Eddie loved all of it. 

After switching the cassettes around, he decided to move for a moment. If he didn’t move he’d go crazy. But there wasn’t much he could do when he was chained to the wall. After a few moments of random walking around, he found the best option. He needed to place the chain over the back of the sofa and then he could walk from the sofa to the hammock and back in a circle without too much hassle. So that’s what he did. Walked around listening to the collection of love songs that Mike had made. His didn’t seem as threatening as Richie’s. 

And then he went back to his puzzle and continued on the gate. Getting almost nowhere by the time the Losers all came back down that afternoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I disappeared for a bit, sorry. But I hope you like it!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for abuse

By the third weekend, all talk of Eddie had vanished. The posters had started falling, no one re-attaching them to the poles. The latest drama at school was the party and who had done what with who, Eddie a distant memory in all but six of the students. Last he heard, Sonia was a total recluse and was going back to New York for a week to see if she could find her son. Richie hoped she’d just stay there. 

Also by the third weekend, Eddie had started to become a lot more friendly with a few of the Losers. Mike would visit him during school hours every second or third day, meaning Eddie was comfortable with him and was borderline happy to talk to him. Beverly would often steal Richie’s car and skip classes to go and see him. Richie didn’t love that he was stuck at school those days and that it wasn’t him who got to go and see Eddie, but he did like the fact that Eddie seemed better for it. 

Like now, how he was actively talking to Beverly and Ben. All the Losers were down there aside from Bill, wasting away their Saturday and putting off doing their homework until they couldn't anymore. Eddie was sitting on the ladder beside Bev, Ben in front of them. He was better at that now, moving around the clubhouse. In the first week and a half, he’d hardly left the sofa. 

“Are you listening to me?” Stan asked. 

“No,” Richie shook his head while turning his attention to his friend. “Sorry.”

“You’re not sorry.”

“Not really.” 

Stan rolled his eyes, that hint of amusement present in his eyes. “I was asking if you were staying the night here or if you wanted to come back to mine.” 

“Uh,” Richie hummed. He looked back over to Eddie. He knew the boy wouldn’t be thrilled if Richie stayed. The first weekend had been a whirlwind of drugs and confusion and not a lot of sleeping. The second week, a week prior, Richie had stayed at Stan’s on Saturday night and his own Friday. But now he had another option. It was probably time that he started moving their relationship forward. Slowly at first but it needed to happen. 

But he didn’t want to ruin any progress Eddie had made. That was the issue, wasn’t it? He didn’t want to pressure him, but he needed to pressure him. Eddie probably liked Richie the least of the Losers. And that needed to change. Moving the relationship would start that progress of change. “I’ll stay here,” he said after a few moments of thought. Stan didn’t look surprised at the answer. “And if he’s upset or whatever I’ll sleep in the hammock. Win-win.”

“You know something,” Stan’s voice dropped down slightly. The conversation just between them. “I think he likes you. At least a little.”

“Why’s that?” Richie asked, fighting the need to look over at Eddie. 

“Just the way he looks at you when you’re not looking. It’s not as angry or confused when you see him looking. Maybe like’s a strong word, but for this situation tolerating you wouldn’t be too big of a deal.”

“I haven’t told him anything. Other than Bev’s story.”

Stan hummed, “I would tell him.”

“I don’t want him to be scared.”

“He’s going to be scared no matter when you tell him. Just make sure that he knows he’s safe and you’re not going to hurt him. Because that’s why he’ll be scared.”

Richie chuckled, “I keep trying to tell him he’s safe.”

“Eddie’s never been safe. He probably doesn’t know what it means.”

“Exactly,” Richie nodded. “That’s why he needed us.”

“You don’t need to convert me, Richie. I can see that this is good for him already. It’s good for both of you.”

*~*

The Losers left them alone that evening just before dark. Eddie had been talking to Mike and Stan when Bev and Ben decided to leave, the other three following shortly after. The five of them were probably going to Stan’s house to spend a few more hours together but Richie couldn’t find it in him to be jealous or annoyed. Any time spent with Eddie was good, but it was so much better when they were alone. 

It was nice to see Eddie’s nightly routine as well. He’d been in the clubhouse long enough to get one. And Richie knew about his daily routines, how he woke up and got ready for the day. How he put the bed away before anything else because it gave him a whole lot more space to move. Then he’d put some music on before getting dressed - unless Richie was the one to wake him, in which case the music came first. After that, he’d spend some time cleaning and in his own words; moving. Before he’d go back to his puzzle. 

The puzzle sat proudly on the table in front of the sofa. It was slow going but Eddie seemed happy with it. Stan had spent some time working on it with him, Mike and Bev had when they were alone as well. But Eddie had admitted he preferred to do it alone so the Losers tended to leave it. He was almost finished, only one section in the top left corner to do. His puzzle was probably the safest topic to talk about, music a close second - unless Eddie got upset.

“You’re not leaving,” Eddie said into the silence. 

“Quite the observationist,” Richie replied from the hammock. 

“Why aren’t you?”

“Staying the night with you.”

Eddie frowned at him from the sofa, “what?”

“It’s not a school night, Eds baby -”

“Don’t call me that.”

“-so good old mom and pop are happy with me staying the night at Stan’s. Which means I get to spend time with you. Isn’t it great.” 

“I hope the hammock is comfortable.”

Richie laughed, “Eds gets off a good one. It’s quiet, but I would say the bed is more.”

“I’ll go stay at Stan’s and you can test it out.”

He was in warm water with that kind of comment. Any indication of leaving the clubhouse or wanting to leave wasn’t appreciated very much. By any of the Losers. But he hadn't asked to leave - and he hadn’t suggested he go home, no he had said Stan’s. Probably because Richie had just mentioned it. Not because he actually wanted to leave, and Richie couldn’t get mad at that. He liked it when Eddie joked around. It meant only good things. 

“Or,” he said suggestively, “we both take the bed.” 

“Well, then it wouldn’t be comfortable.”

“You’re so mean to me.”

Eddie shrugged, “I don’t think so. Are you actually staying the night here?” Richie nodded at the question and Eddie made a sour face. “Are you going to sleep on the bed with me?”

“Up to you. I don’t want you to feel,” he hesitated, “pressured.”

He got no reply, Eddie clearly lost in his own head. Richie took the moment to really look at him. The few weeks in the clubhouse had been good for him, Richie could tell. He no longer carried himself with the fear that he had when he had first been brought to his new home, he seemed more at ease. Not always, of course, some days were harder. But Richie knew that on the whole, he was better. 

“Why am I here?”

“What do you mean?” Richie asked, Eddie staring straight into his eyes. “You’ve asked that before.”

“All you said was to keep me safe,” Eddie replied. “That’s not what I want to know.”

Richie smiled slightly, “what do you want to know?”

“Why I’m here and what you’re keeping from me.”

“The latter is a lot harder to answer,” Richie said and Eddie didn’t reply. Just looked at him expectantly. Richie took a deep breath before answering. “You are here to keep you safe from Derry, that’s not a lie. But yes, I obviously took you because I have feelings for you.”

Again, he got no reply for a long moment. “You don’t know me.” 

“I know you.”

“You didn’t know me. And you hardly know me now,” Eddie muttered to himself before speaking up, “you took me. Yes? A week after I came to town. We had never even talked so how would you know me?! Bev and Bill knew me, but only a little but. They weren’t my friends or anything! They were only trying to get to know me so that they could report it to you because apparently you have feelings for a person you don’t know!”

“Eddie-”

“No! Don’t try to justify this. You took me! You didn’t know me and now you want to sit here and say that you’ve had feelings for me since you first saw me? This isn’t a fairytale story where you fall in love with the first person you see. You probably just thought I was cute but that doesn’t mean you’ve fallen in love. What do you even mean that you had feelings for me?”

Richie let Eddie say his piece. “Eddie,” he said as seriously as he could. He needed Eddie to know that he was serious. “When I saw you on the Monday that you first came to school I thought you were gorgeous. Of course, it was only physical at first but Eddie, we have a connection that I felt straight away. And then once I started paying attention to you it was so obvious. If it had been different, if you had been different, then I might have been okay with allowing a normal relationship but you weren't. You’re you and you’re perfect. But not for Derry. You’re perfect for here.”

“Do you hear yourself?” 

“Yes. And everything I said makes sense. Derry is a dangerous place! There’s so much that you don’t know -”

“Then tell me!”

Shaking his head, Richie scoffed, “you don’t need to know that kind of stuff yet. I want you to be happy!” 

“But I’m not!” 

“Be careful with what you say,” Richie warned. Eddie deflated slightly. “We have a connection, Eds, I can feel and the Losers can see it. And I just can’t believe you if you try to say that you can’t feel it. Tell me you can feel it!” 

“I can’t!” 

It took only a moment for Richie to be out of the hammock and leaning down over Eddie who was sitting on the sofa. He pushed him back against the sofa by his shoulders. Eddie ended up looking up at Richie with wide, scared eyes. If it was anyone but Eddie he would be loving the situation. And don’t get him wrong, he liked Eddie looking at him in this position but the pure fear radiating from Eddie wasn’t something he enjoyed. Richie sighed, reaching one hand up to cup Eddie’s face. 

“Eds I hate it when you lie to me like that.”

“Richie,” Eddie whispered, “please.’

“What do you need?”

“I want my mom,” his voice broke, leaving him sobbing after he finished talking. Richie shifted so he was in front of Eddie, looking at him. “I want to see my mom again. She’s going to be worrying about me and I miss her and she’s probably so scared and-”

Richie sighed, cutting Eddie off. “Your mom is going back to New York.”

“What?”

“In a few days,” Richie nodded. He kept the part about her coming back out of the story. “I know you don’t want to hear that,” he continued as Eddie shook his head. “But it’s the truth, my love.”

“Please, Richie.”

“Eddie, you know what that gets you.”

Eddie just shook his head, looking smaller than Richie had ever seen him. So much for these last few weeks building Eddie back up. Apparently he needed to be knocked down even more than Richie had thought. It was going to be worth it, Richie reasoned as Eddie buried his head in his hands, still pinned down by one of Richie’s hands. Richie rubbed a thumb across Eddie’s cheek. 

“You said you love me,” Eddie whispered brokenly. 

It didn’t matter how brokenly he said it. How broken he felt. No. Richie pushed back, pushing Eddie back at the same time. Eddie looked up, stunned at the sudden shift. He didn’t want this to happen, didn’t want any anger or tension in their relationship and why couldn’t Eddie see that? Before Eddie even had time to flinch Richie had raised his arm and brought it down across Eddie’s cheek. 

“Do not, ever, question how I feel for you. Do you understand?” Richie asked, his voice tighter and angrier than he had ever heard. Especially around Eddie. When Eddie didn’t reply he raised his hand again, this time Eddie did flinch but that didn’t stop Richie bringing it back down across the same cheek. 

Richie’s hands were big, big enough that two smacks lead to the entire right side of Eddie’s face becoming bright red from the impact. 

“Do you understand?”

“Why did you do that?”

Richie gripped a handful of Eddie’s hair, pulling his head back so he was looking up at Richie again. “I asked you a question.” Eddie just blinked. Richie glared down at him. Why couldn’t he get it right? He didn’t want to hurt him. When he didn’t reply, for the third time, Richie hit him across the check before backhanding him the other way. Shaking his head a little, Richie asked the question again. “Do you understand?”

“What?” Eddie sobbed tears pooling across his face. Richie was glad, in the back of his cloudy mind, that Eddie wasn’t bleeding. 

“I do not like it when you question my love for you,” Richie replied, his grip tightening. “Do you understand?” 

“Yes!” Eddie shouted out one of his hands grabbing at Richie’s wrist above his head. “I do!” 

Richie stepped back, the fog clearing. But as he stepped back his leg hit the table, and he was moving too quickly to stop himself so he tripped. Not enough to fall, but enough to knock the table even further. Eddie’s puzzle sliding to the edge, almost all of it falling off the table and onto the ground with an almost inaudible sound. 

And that’s when Eddie lost his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally supposed to continue but I decided to split it. The next chapter will be from Richie's POV again and detail what happens the rest of the night.


	13. Chapter 13

Richie didn’t think he had seen Eddie in such a state, well, ever. Even the night they had brought him here. He had panicked and couldn’t breathe on Richie’s lap but that wasn’t as bad as the reaction garnered from Eddie’s puzzle falling off the table. 

At first, he just stared at it, shock written across his red face. His eyes were still filled with tears and he didn’t move. The pieces that hadn’t been placed yet sat in a neat pile on one side of the table but the rest was on the floor, the puzzle shattered. A few sections remained intact but overall it was destroyed. Richie knew he had fucked up with it, knew that the puzzle meant a lot to Eddie. It was his and something that he cared about deeply. And Richie had just ruined it. 

“I’m-”

“Why would you do that?” Eddie asked, staring up at him with a face full of hurt. “Why?”

“I didn’t mean to,” Richie said. Almost pleaded with him.

Eddie sobbed and shook his head, “I promise I won’t say those things anymore. You didn’t need to do that.”

“No, no, Eddie baby. You didn’t do anything wrong, I wasn’t-” Richie was at a loss for words as he tried to console Eddie. “It was an accident.” 

That seemed to set him off even more. When Richie spoke he started to look angry, as if he couldn’t believe what Richie had said. He was crying still, shaking all over with his hands covering his face. He jumped up. Richie wasn’t sure what he was aiming to do but whatever it was, it didn’t work. After he jumped, he faltered and ended up falling backwards. Richie went to grab him but was too slow. Eddie pulling away from him, falling backwards over the sofa, practically flipping over the back. He landed with a loud thud and a grunt on the other side. The chain landed with a softer noise, but from Eddie’s responding whimper it had landed on him. Richie was, for a moment, grateful that they had moved the box a few hours prior so he had landed on the floor and not that. 

He went around the sofa, wincing at Eddie. He had landed with one leg bent and one arm twisted but hadn’t moved out of that position even though it had to be uncomfortable at best. His face was pressed against the dirt. Richie knew how much he hated the dirt. Eddie was still crying, shaking with the intensity of the sobs. Whether he was crying because of being hit, the puzzle or falling, Richie wasn’t sure. Maybe a mix of all three. Although it seemed that the puzzle was the worst factor. 

“Eds?” He bent down, reaching out to touch him. In response, Eddie just screamed. No words coming out, just screaming at Richie. Instantly Richie withdrew his hands. It only calmed him down a fraction. He was still sobbing loudly and shaking. “Can I sit down, Eds?”

When he got no reply, Richie said on the floor opposite him. Eddie didn’t even seem to notice. Every now and again his breath would hitch would send him into a bigger panic, at one point he started clawing at the dirt. Richie reached out again then when he was clearly hurting, but Eddie screamed again. Snatching his hand away from Richie’s before he could even get near. It was painful. Watching Eddie go through this. 

They stayed like that for a long time. Richie guessed it had to be nearer to half an hour. He spoke up again. Once Eddie hadn’t had a breathing fit for a few minutes. “I’m truly sorry, Eddie. I didn’t mean to do that, and I would never destroy your puzzle in punishment. When you’re feeling better we can work on it, okay?”

“It’s gone.”

“It’s not gone, Eds, it’s just on the floor. I’ll even wipe it down with those wipes Stan brought you.”

“It’s gone.”

“Do you want to go and see it, Eds? It’s not gone. I promise.”

Eddie shook his head. Or, he shook it as well as he could seeing as it was pressed against the floor. “You’re hurting my head.” 

“I don’t want to. Can you tell me what’s hurting?” 

“I said I wouldn’t do it anymore.”

Richie shifted closer. Eddie didn’t react. “And I believe you. It was an accident.”

They stayed silent after that. Richie rarely had no words. Today was definitely one of those times. Eddie seemed content in the silence. Eventually, his sobbing started to lessen and after that, he pushed himself out of the awkward position. He stayed where he was but he was now sitting up. If Richie reached out then he would be able to touch him, they were close, but he kept his hands to himself. 

“Are you mad at me?”

“No,” Richie shook his head. “Not at all.”

Again, they sat in silence before Eddie moved. It shocked Richie deeply. Not only was Eddie the one who moved, but he moved towards Richie. Onto his lap no less. The position was uncomfortable but Richie would never say. He was sitting cross-legged with Eddie sitting in between, sideways and leaning on Richie’s chest. The chain was caught up on the sofa, meaning that one of Eddie’s legs was pulled out while the other was tucked in. Richie ran one hand up and down Eddie’s back softly. While it wasn’t the best position, it was the best moment. 

Eddie had come to him! 

“Are you okay?” He asked gently. 

“Is my mom really leaving?” 

“That’s the rumour.”

“Do you think she ever actually loved me?”

Richie shook his head, “no. I don’t. I don’t think Bev’s dad ever loved her either. How anyone could look at you and not love you, I don’t know. But your mother managed it.”

“She said she loved me.”

“She hurt you.”

“I,” Eddie started before stopping and sighing. “I don’t think she loved me.”

“You’re brave for admitting that.”

Eddie stayed silent. Apparently happy to sit in Richie’s lap. His face was tacky with tears and there were streaks of dirt on his clothes and arms but he was calmer. And for that Richie was thankful. 

“I’m very tired, Richie.”

“Do you want to go to bed?” Richie asked. He didn’t get an answer. Richie didn’t think it through. Didn’t want to go down that path of what tired actually meant if not sleepy. “Come, we can go to bed.” 

He got Eddie up and his chain untangled. Eddie seemed more pliant than ever, he went where Richie directed and stood still otherwise. They worked together to pick the puzzle up and place it back on the table. Taking care to keep the pieces together as much as possible. 

Eddie didn’t speak as they did. And once they had checked for any loose pieces, Richie left him to arrange it how he liked while he set up the bed. Every few seconds Eddie would look up, look at Richie and then go back to work. As if he was checking to see if Richie was still there. If Eddie didn’t want him in the bed then he would go to the hammock. He would. But he was hopeful that wouldn’t be the case, and from how Eddie was acting, he thought it could be. 

Once the bed was set up and the puzzle reorganised the way Eddie wanted it, they stopped moving. Richie didn’t want to be the first to act, which was an odd thing for him, and Eddie was simply sitting on the floor beside the table. He took a deep breath, connected one puzzle piece to the main picture and then looked up at Richie. “Is Beverly coming tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“She said she’d help me with the final section,” Eddie replied. “She’ll be disappointed.”

“Or she’ll be happy that you two get to do it together again.”

Eddie didn’t seem to register the reply, “I don’t want her to be disappointed.”

“She won't be.”

“Did you know that I had no friends in New York?” 

Richie nodded, “I guessed as much.” 

“It wasn’t that I didn’t want any. I did. Richie, I really wanted friends. But I thought I was sick, I thought I couldn’t do anything and my mom was so overbearing. No one wanted to be near me because they didn’t like her. And they all thought I was gay, I am but I never told them that. Couldn’t. I wanted to be liked though, Richie. You can’t understand it. Being alone forever was so hard. It hurt so much. You and the Losers have a love that I never got and I wanted it so badly.”

“I’m really sorry, Eddie. You didn’t deserve that. But you have us now, Eds. You do.” 

“Why didn’t you just be my friend?”

“When Bill comes over tomorrow,” Richie replied, “ask him about Georgie.” 

Eddie moved a connected another piece of the puzzle. “Am I weak for wanting to be your friend?”

“No.”

“I was never allowed to listen to music,” Eddie admitted. Richie nodded, they had guessed that had been the case. The way Eddie had reacted to any and all music wasn’t normal, there had to be something else. “I’m glad I get to listen to music now.”

“You deserve music.”

“You say that a lot. That I deserve things.”

Richie nodded, “you do.”

“All I’ve done around you is be weak. It’s true. I’ve been here for -” he hesitated “-three weeks and I’m already forgetting to not like you and the Losers. There’s a part of me that isn’t mad anymore. It’s weak.”

“Or it’s just the fact that you’re supposed to be with us. Talk to Bill tomorrow. You’ll understand more then.”

“How many people have you killed?” 

Richie froze. He wasn’t expecting that question. Eddie stared up at him expectantly. “I don’t want to upset you,” he replied. Eddie didn’t respond, just kept looking. “More than you’d expect,” again Eddie didn’t reply. Richie sighed before answering, “five.”

“You said you wouldn’t kill me.”

“And I won’t.” 

“Do the Losers know?” Eddie asked and Richie nodded. He didn’t want to go into more detail than that. What Eddie knew now was enough. Later, that was when he could find out more about Richie and the Losers' past. For now, a nod would do. Eddie didn’t seem surprised by any of the answers he was given and Richie couldn’t blame him. They clearly had a dark past, all of them. If they were willing to kidnap him and cover for Beverly. “Are you still staying here tonight?” 

“Yes.”

“Good,” Eddie said after placing another piece in the puzzle. “It got cold last night.”

He wasn’t wrong. Within the last hour, the clubhouse had started to cool down. Perhaps he would bring Eddie another blanket. Eddie suffering in any way was the last thing that Richie wanted. In the silence, Eddie stood up. His chain rattled softly. Richie knew that he shouldn’t like seeing Eddie in chains. It wasn’t normally, he understood that. But he liked it. Eddie like that gave him the knowledge that Eddie was there. He was with Richie and wasn’t able to leave. 

“I can stay in the hammock if you want me to,” Richie offered. 

“I use all the blankets,” was the response he got. Eddie wasn’t saying he wanted to sleep next to Richie. But that didn’t mean he didn’t acknowledge that it was a good idea. “So if you want to be cold that’s your choice.”

“Bed please.”

Eddie looked at him, tilting his head slightly. “Bill told me that you do a whole lot of voices.”

“I can do.”

“You don’t do them for me.”

“Never had the opportunity,” Richie shrugged. 

Before he answered Eddie held up a set of three pieces already interlinked before placing them along the bottom row of the puzzle. He looked back up and Richie and smiled, “can I hear them?” 

So Richie showed Eddie. They sat on the fold-out bed, surrounded by all the blankets that were in the clubhouse and Richie talked. Showing off every voice he could think off. Eddie laughed, scoffed and insulted. As if he was truly one of the Losers. And as it got colder as the hours drew on, Eddie kept getting closer and closer to Richie. His voices grew weaker as he got tired but he didn’t stop. Not until Eddie had drifted off, his head on Richie’s shoulder. 

It was the best night of Richie’s life.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW:: Suicide. Talk of suicide and suicidal thoughts throughout.   
>  Murder

Richie left Eddie early that morning with a kiss to the head and a promise to be back soon with breakfast. Something sweet, he had said, like you. Eddie had scoffed in reply but had waved when Richie looked down from the hatch.

He probably shouldn’t wave. 

His mother wouldn’t want - what did that matter? His mother was leaving him. She was packing up and heading back to New York after only a few weeks of him being missing. So much for Derry being better for the both of them. Why wouldn’t she stay? In case he came back or if he was found? She’d be hours away from him. Did he not matter to her at all? How could she do everything she had done and then turn her back on him within a month. Maybe the Losers were right about her. She must truly hate him.

She had always said that he was a burden. His fake illness a burden on her and her life, even when she was the one who made them up. She would complain that he was killing her by being a bad son, by not doing as she said. And he would always fall for it. He would always try to make himself smaller, make himself a better son when he couldn’t do anything to make her happy. He was just a burden.

But the Losers didn’t think he was a burden. Richie didn’t think he was a burden. Why would they do all this for him if he was a burden? 

Why shouldn’t he wave? 

As he was sitting, staring at his incomplete puzzle and thinking, the trap door opened. Like always, the sun brightened the room to an extreme. His eyes hurting at the sudden burst of light. Eddie hated that it happened. Maybe he could ask Richie if he could go outside for just a few minutes. He wouldn’t mind if he had to still be chained or hold his hand or whatever Richie required. Eddie wanted to go outside again. 

Bill came down the hatch, closing it after him. When he stepped off the ladder he was smiling, but when he caught sight of the puzzle he started frowning. Eddie flinched, waiting for the yelling to start. They’d be so angry. But Bill didn’t yell, he asked “what happened?” like he was asking anything else. He didn’t seem even a little bit mad. Richie had been right.

“It fell.”

“I’m sorry,” Bill said as he sat down beside Eddie. “You were nearly done.”

“I cried when it happened.”

Nodding, Bill grabbed a piece and handed it to Eddie who was able to place it along the border. Eddie liked doing the puzzle when the Losers were doing it with him. “I p-probably would have if it happened to me.” 

He could be lying. Maybe he was making fun of him. But he didn’t look at Eddie like the people in school used to look at him. He looked like he was serious. That he did feel bad that Eddie’s puzzle had been destroyed and that he didn’t see anything wrong with Eddie crying over it. Bill never seemed like he was making fun. “Who’s Georgie?” 

“What?” Bill choked. His entire body freezing up. Eddie’s eyes widened at the extreme reaction. “Why do you ask?” 

“Richie told me to ask. When I asked why you couldn’t just be my friends like normal.”

Bill sighed. It was such a sad sound. He leant back against the sofa and covered his mouth with his hands. Sighing again he pulled them down. “He’s my little brother. Georgie.”

“Why does that matter?”

“G-Georgie, god. He was three years younger than us and an honorary Loser. We all loved him and he loved us as well. He was the c-coolest kid ever. Fuck. About a month after Bev and her dad I arrived home from hanging out here and found him in his room. He’d taken all the sleeping pills in the house.”

“Oh Bill, I’m so sorry.” 

“He was dead when I got there. I couldn’t do anything. He had two suicide notes, one was addressed to me and the others to the Losers. Theirs just said he was sorry. Mine was more detailed. He was being bullied, ba-badly bullied. Worse than anything that had happened to us, and by people in our year. He was only twelve, three weeks from thirteen, and he k-killed himself to escape.”

“I’m really sorry that happened. I’m sorry I asked.”

Shaking his head, Bill sent Eddie a pained smile. “It’s good you know. Richie didn’t want you to end up like G-Georgie. That’s why he took you instead of letting you stay. We’ve all built resilience to D-D-Derry, Georgie didn’t. You hadn’t. And we all thought Georgie was happy, even I did. It’s too easy here. For that kind of thing to h-happen.”

“What about your parents?” 

“He had told them and they didn’t care. They’re dis-distant. Hell, I don’t think they like me one bit. Doesn’t bother me. But, do you see why everyone wanted you here?”

“Derry’s an awful place.”

“It is.”

Eddie wiped at his wet eyes. “Are you okay?”

“You’re too sweet for Derry.”

“That’s what Richie said.” 

“He can be right s-sometimes.”

“Can I ask you something else?” Eddie asked and Bill nodded. “When we were at school, you said that you owed Richey more than anyone else. What did you mean?” 

Bill laughed once, no humour in it. “In Georgie’s nuh-note he said that the worst person was Patrick Hockstter, who was a terrible person. He was the year above us and had been a s-shit to all of us. But he targeted Georgie when he hit twelve.” 

“Richie did something to him.” It wasn’t a question.

“I asked him to. After a week. I couldn’t stand seeing Patrick and I knew the Losers felt the s-same way. So I went to Richie.”

“Why him?”

“I couldn’t bring myself to actually d-do it. The others couldn’t. Richie could.”

Eddie thought that over. Bill had known that Richie was capable. Richie had always had some kind of darkness. “Five people.”

“I won’t tell you about the others. That’s Richie’s job. I will tell you that he would never hurt you. Come on, let’s get some of this puzzle done before Bev gets her. She’ll be pissed that I got a head start on her.”

*~*

That afternoon all of the Losers were in the clubhouse, working on an English presentation that all of the general-English students had to do. Richie was sitting beside Eddie, his arm around his shoulders. Eddie couldn’t say that he minded that much - was an arm around his shoulders really that bad anyway? - Apparently, Richie took AP English which meant he was excused from the project that the Losers clearly hated. Eddie had to admit, not doing school work wasn’t a problem. 

“I asked Bill,” Eddie said softly. He didn’t want Bill to hear him. “About Georgie.”

“Did he tell you?” Richie asked, looking down at him. He always did that, Eddie had noticed, he looked at Eddie like he wanted to hear what he had to say. No one looked at him like that before. 

“Yeah.”

“So you can see where I’m coming from?” 

Eddie nodded. “I get it.”

“I could see it in your eyes. You would have done it if I hadn’t intervened.”

“You can’t know that,” Eddie replied weakly. He couldn’t lie and say that he had never thought of doing something like that. He’d been so alone for his entire life. It hurt. The idea of stopping those feelings in any way possible had circulated once or twice. 

Remembering that brought a troubling question to Eddie’s mind. If he had thought that in New York, would it only get worse in Derry? Derry did seem like an awful place so maybe they were right. Maybe those thoughts would only get worse and worse until he ended up like Georgie. Taking all the pills that his mother kept in the house and letting her find him in his bed one morning. Had Richie saved him from that?

“I think I do know that.” Eddie didn’t reply. There was nothing he could reply. Richie continued. “We don’t have to worry about that anymore. You’re here now.”

“Would you be sad if I did?” 

“I’d be devastated. I don’t know what I would do.” 

Eddie lent in closer to Richie. Having someone be so open about their feelings was new, odd and exciting. His mother had always kept things close to her chest. Never truly showing Eddie how she cared for him. If she loved him. All through his childhood, he had to take what he could. Which was often just a pill bottle and a hug after a beating. But here he didn’t have that pain or sadness. Here Richie and the Losers actually cared about him. 

“You look upset,” Richie observed after a while. 

“No. Just thinking.”

“Sad thoughts.”

“And happy ones.”

Richie looked at him in that way that made his heart go all funny. It was hard to describe and Eddie didn’t know if he wanted to delve into it anyway. “You can tell me if that cute little head of yours does think sad thoughts.”

“Do you really think I’m cute?” 

“Cute cute cute,” Richie replied with a laugh. “Of course I do. You’re the cutest, and hottest, person I’ve ever seen. I swear you were made for me specifically. And whoever was in charge of that job did it perfectly.” 

Eddie knew he was blushing. Not only from the heat but the grin that formed on Richie’s face as he continued speaking. It was weird! No one had ever called him attractive in any way before. To have someone say things like that made his entire body feel, well, odd. He didn’t know how he was feeling. Mentally and physically. He hated that he was so unsure of everything. “I’m not that cute.” 

“Trust me, my love, you are. We’re attracted to each other, that’s okay.”

“According to everyone I’ve ever met, being attracted to each other is definitely not okay,” Eddie argued. He could hardly argue that he wasn’t attracted to Richie, which was frustrating, to say the least. But that was beside his point. 

“Everyone outside this clubhouse is an idiot and hateful,” Richie dismissed. “Trust me, baby, if God didn’t want us to be gay he wouldn’t have you the way you are. Absolutely fucking perfect.” 

“To you.”

Richie shook his head but was smiling at Eddie. “To everyone. I just snatched you up before anyone else could. Couldn’t let people steal my baby away from me. Could I?” 

“I guess,” Eddie conceded. It made a little sense, if Richie did really like Eddie then it did stand to reason that he wouldn’t want other people getting even the slightest chance. In all honesty, the hardest part to deal with was the idea that Richie liked Eddie enough to even have those kinds of thoughts. But, then again, the way that he looked at Eddie was something Eddie had never experienced before. And maybe he didn’t know a lot about love and romance. But no one had ever looked at him like that - and no one had ever proclaimed to like him either. 

“What are you thinking about now?”

“How you look at me.” 

“What about it?”

Eddie shrugged, “no one’s ever looked at me like that. It’s strange.”

“It’s because I love you,” Richie replied easily. Eddie hummed slightly at that. It was the first time Richie had actually said the words and Eddie wasn’t sure how he felt about the thrill that went up his spine. Richie continued. “And no one’s ever loved you before.”

He had just thought about that. He knew that was the truth but it still stung to have someone else say it. It wasn’t something that he was proud of. “I guess it’s just different.”

“Do you love me, Eds?” Richie asked, his voice soft and judgement-free. 

“I don’t know.”

“That’s good enough for me,” Richie replied. And that helped, it did. Eddie wasn’t sure how it helped or what it helped. But it helped anyway. He felt better with that answer. Richie smiled at him, as if he knew what Eddie was thinking. “Once these assholes fuck off I was thinking that I could tell you more about -” he sighed softly “-my time in Derry before you came. If you want me to.”

“I do.”

Richie nodded, “I figured you would. I can’t promise I won’t make any bad puns throughout.”

“They are pretty bad,” Eddie joked. He knew, he knew it deep down, that only a few weeks ago he would have felt guilty about the joking. About having a good time with Richie. But here and now, feeling bad wasn’t even on his mind. He was just having a fun time with the boy who loved him. 

“Slander!” Richie cried, breaking Eddie out of his thoughts. “Slander through my good name, my name as a comedian and entertainer. Destroyed by a careless Eddie and -”

“Beep beep!”

Richie looked down at him in mock upset before he laughed again, “I should have never introduced you to the Losers.”

“I would have figured out a way to shut you up.”

“Fair enough.”


	15. Chapter 15

That night the Losers left just after sunset. Richie’s alibi was Stan again, he knew his parents wouldn’t really care. So long as they didn’t get a call saying he was arrested or hurt then he had free reign. But they did like when they knew where he was - or thought that they knew where he was. Which is where Stan came in. He would cover for Richie if his parents called, reassuring them that he was there and safe when he was actually in the clubhouse with Eddie.

There was a lot less drama as the two of them organised the clubhouse for sleeping that night. Over the last few weeks, Eddie had obviously become good at it, folding out the bed and gathering all the blankets. There was also a new addition that Ben had worked on during the day; the covering over the trapdoor. Eddie couldn’t reach the actual door so the end was attached to a stick that he could use to connect the magnets on the two corners not permanently attached to the roof. It would, hopefully, block out some of the draft that came through. Richie didn’t want Eddie getting sick. 

Richie looked over to Eddie again. He was humming along to the music playing. There was always music playing, and Richie had done his part by providing him more and more mixtapes. Eddie had confessed that he liked them, but he liked Ben’s type of music the most - which was horrible to hear. Richie had made it his mission to show Eddie the light. He hadn’t gone his whole life with no music to only listen to top-40 bullshit. Ben thought it was great, the bastard.

God, Eddie was so fucking cute. Humming along, his head shaking slightly as he listened. 

“I won’t be here tomorrow,” Richie interrupted as he placed the pillows down. “My parents and I are going over to Bangor to see my grandparents and I won’t be home ‘till late.”

“That’s alright.”

“Bill will definitely come down, the others will probably.” 

Eddie nodded, “I know. He said he’s going to bring me one of those pastries and Bev-”

“Fuck Bill and his pastries, I’ll bring you one.”

Laughing, Eddie continued. “That just means I get two. Anyway, Bev’s bringing her fashion sketchbook to show me.”

“You don’t even need me to tell you, you already know!”

“You’re slow to the party.”

“Honestly the way you treat me,” Richie sighed as he threw himself onto the bed. Eddie threw a blanket onto his head with a light laugh. Richie couldn’t get enough of that sound. “I thought you were going to be nice to me.”

Eddie laughed again before turning off the stereo. A Queen - one of Eddie’s favourites that Richie also liked - song getting cut off. He turned back to Richie, “that’s what happens when you kidnap people you don’t know,” 

That was surprising, how casual he was treating the whole thing. It was new. Richie pushed himself up onto his elbows to get a better view of Eddie. He was standing to the side of the bed looking at Richie with a grin on his face. Richie smiled over at him, wanting nothing more than to grab him and pull him down onto the bed with him. But he wouldn’t, he’d let Eddie make that first move. 

He’d made the first major move, of course. But he’d let Eddie make the smaller ones. Like climbing into the bed with Richie.

Eventually, he did, kicking off his shoes and lying down parallel to Richie. The bed was on the smaller side, the two of them ending up touching. They weren’t cuddling or anything but their sides were pressed against each other. It was nice anyway. Being near Eddie, it was a simply pleasant time. Richie could fall asleep like that but - “you told me you’d tell me.”

“I did say that.”

“Are you going to?”

“If I say no you’re going to pout and give me those eyes and I can’t say no to that so I guess so.”

Eddie laughed again, “Stan called them my puppy-dog eyes.”

“Had you never heard of that term before?” 

“No. I guess I haven’t heard of a lot of things.”

“Your mom is a bitch, that’s why. But yes, I’ll tell you. The story isn’t that interesting I must say,” he sighed and when Eddie didn’t say anything he started. “You know about Patrick, Bill asked me to kill him for what he did to Georgie.”

“How.”

Richie didn’t want to answer that one. “How what?”

“How did you kill him? I want to know everything.”

“It was payback. I followed him into the barrens, but on the other side, it was nowhere near here. He and his friends hung out there sometimes. I timed it right so that they’d find him not long after I, you know. I beat him to death. There was a piece of wood and I smashed him around the head to bring him down and then I kept going. With my hands. Didn’t stop until he had stopped twitching.”

“That’s awful,” Eddie replied. 

“Yeah.”

“Was Bill happy with it?”

Not the question Richie was expecting Eddie to ask. Not after that. More along the lines of Edie asking Richie to leave the clubhouse. But no, again Eddie surprised him. “Yeah, he was thrilled. All the Losers were, he was a fucking dick.” 

“I know. What about the others? That’s one, and you said there were five.”

“Getting there. Greta was next. I asked Bev too, I didn’t want to kill a girl but she didn’t want to. I don’t blame her, when you've never done it before it’s - it’s hard. So she gave me a pass to do it. Greta was a fucking bitch and she liked Bill, like like him kind of thing,” Richie rolled his eyes at the memory. God, she was so embarrassed and “-she was a total bitch. Anyway, she didn’t like that he was hanging out with Mike so much. She figured Bill should be a more ‘All-American’ kind of guy.”

“So racist,” Eddie chimed in.

Richie nodded, “yup. She threatened Mike, said the police wouldn’t even ask a question if she complained about him. Which is true, they also suck shit.”

“And then you killed her?”

“Slashed her wrists. They ruled it a suicide without really looking into it,” Richie said. He expected Eddie to react - any kind of reaction. But Eddie just kept looking up at him, not a hint of disgust or distrust on his face. Hell, he didn’t even look upset. If anything he looked like he was simply listening to any other story that Richie liked to tell him. If Richie didn’t know any better he’d say that Eddie was enjoying it. 

“Who else?”

“You want me to keep going?”

Eddie nodded. “I want to know.”

“Henry Bowers. He was going to tell his dad, the sheriff, that I killed Patrick. I don’t know if he actually knew, if he was lying to me to scare me or if he was going to lie to his dad. And he died before I could find out. I stabbed him and dumped him on the outskirts of town. They found him about a month later and by then it was too late to figure out who it was. Sheriff Bowers died a few weeks later, so it was two birds with one stone.”

“That’s three.”

“Yes, you impatient little thing, I’m getting there. Peter Gordan, he was an asshole to everyone and I did Derry a favour in killing him. He painted a swastika on Stan’s locker one time and threatened to set him and his parents on fire. Plus he kept following Bev around and after Georgie died he laughed about it to Bill more than once. I killed him by holding his head under the water down in the quarry. Stan asked me to - do something.”

“He deserved it.”

“What?” 

Eddie shrugged, “he deserved it. These people have all deserved it. You were protecting your friends. Who’s last?”

“Uh,” Richie was almost at a loss for words. Eddie was, not only not disgusted but he was happy with what he had done? He agreed with Richie and the Losers. Eddie stared up at him. “Gard Jagermeyer.”

“What did he do?”

“That’s the thing. He didn’t really do anything. Not compared to the others.”

“What do you mean?”

Richie really didn’t want to answer this one. If any of them were going to piss Eddie off it was going to be this one. “He was a wannabe Bowers. Followed me home one day about three weeks before you came to town. He pushed me over and I broke my glasses. I had a knife on me and I grabbed it.”

“Had he done anything before that?”

“He’d called me a slur once or twice.”

“Huh,” Eddie muttered before falling silent. Richie let him think. “What’s it like?”

“Killing someone?” Richie asked, astounded. Why the hell did Edie want to know what it was like to kill someone? Okay, maybe it was plain curiosity. Lots of people wondered what it felt like to take someone’s life. And Richie had taken 5, so he was someone who knew what it was like. That was probably all it was. Eddie was still looking at him with that sweet little expression on his face. Richie was truly lucky to have him. “Uh, easy. Once you've done one. There’s not a lot to it.”

“There’s not a lot to it?” Eddie cocked an eyebrow.

“Not really,” Richie shrugged. “Not in the way you’d expect.”

Eddie thought for a moment, “did you ever feel bad?”

“No.”

“Scared?”

“No.”

“Do you ever feel bad for what you did to me?”

“No. I don’t, and I never did.”

There was a heavy silence. Finally, Eddie spoke. “And they never solved any of them? Or even tried?”

“No.”

“Derry really is an awful town.”

“It is.”

“I’m glad I don’t have to see it anymore.”

Yeah, Richie agreed silently. So was he. 

*~*

The following Monday, Richie turned up to school with Bill and Stan in his car to see Bev and Ben running over to them. The three of them jumped out, meeting the other two by the hood of Richie’s car. “Did you hear?” Beverly asked, her words jumbled up in her haste. The three of them shook their heads. Ben and Bev looked at each other in alarm. “Sonia-” Richie knew this was going to be bad “-went to the fucking FBI!”

“What?” Richie asked, his tone lacking any emotion. 

“S-shit.”

“She went to the FBI because of all the murdered kids. The ones that-” she cut herself off, but everyone knew what she didn’t say. “And because the police aren’t doing shit to find Eddie.”

“The FBI are coming?”

“They’re already here.” 

Richie didn’t speak. Everyone else stayed silent. There were a handful of options he could choose from. Some more disagreeable than others. He could - he could do - he had to do something. Before anything else could happen their principal was hurrying towards them and calling their names. That couldn’t be good. They stayed silent until he got to them, “I don’t know if you know about the FBI in town but the agents want to talk to you. Richard, Beverly and William. After homeroom, come into the school office.”

“Are we in trouble?” Richie asked, finding his voice. His voice that got adults to answer truthfully and do what he wanted. 

“No. They just have some questions for you about Edward Kaspbrak,” he shook his head before catching sight of another student and hurrying off as quick as he had come. 

The Losers watched him go. Richie looked up at the sky. “Fuck.”

“Yeah,” Stan muttered. 

“Does M-Mike know?” 

Beverly nodded, “he called me this morning. He couldn’t get a hold of Richie.”

“What do we do?” Ben asked.

“Go with the flow, I guess. See what happens. We haven’t done anything wrong.” Aside from the murder and kidnapping. Justified, yes. Still illegal. “It’s not like they’re going to find-”

Two girls, the year below them walked past, gossiping about how the FBI were doing a ground search in the barrens. 

“Fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think?


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The FBI chapter!

Richie sat in the school office, tapping his foot. It was not the first time he’d sat in the white room. He wasn’t known for being a well-behaved kid. Smart, yes. A pleasure to have in class, no. But today was not his regular routine, he wasn’t going to try and talk his way out of detention or his parents being called. Nope. Today he was going to try and convince the FBI that he had no involvement in the disappearance of one Edward Kaspbrak. 

Honestly, he felt that he could do it. It was the two idiots sitting beside him that worried him.

Out of all their friends, Bev was the most like Richie. The two of them could lie and get away with what they wanted to get away with. But she was not Richie, and that worried Richie a lot. Bill was a complete dud when it came to this kind of thing. He wasn’t goody-two-shoes by any means, and against the average Derry cop, he could manage. Against the FBI? He was fucked - hell, he was already sweating bullets. 

“Answer the questions as truthfully as you can,” Richie said quietly. Leaning closer to them. 

“What the f-fuck? How?”

“You don’t know where Edward is. He could be on the sofa, or by the music or walking around,” Richie explained. “You don’t know what happened that night. You were in the car, Bev you came up after me. Edward talked about going back to New York and he didn’t like Derry. Keep it simple and keep it straight forward. Easy.”

“Easy,” Beverly repeated. Bill nodded, still looking pale.

Richie sighed, “maybe play up the stutter. No one wants to talk to someone who can’t talk for that long.”

“F-f-fuck you.”

“There you go,” Richie winked dramatically. At least Bill didn’t look three days from death anymore. He went to continue when the guidance counsellor's door opened and a man in a black suit stepped out. The man was tall and stocky, his hair was neatly combed back and a gun holster but no gun was strapped to his belt. He looked over at the three of them and called for Richie. Standing, Richie turned back to his friends with an easy smile, “see you later.”

To make this work he needed to be calm and controlled. That he knew. Being nervous was a no go - although he could probably swing it that the entire situation was scaring him - but being overly confident was also a bad idea. There was a happy middle ground, a mix of the relaxed easy of innocence and the timidness of a teenager being questioned by the FBI. He needed that. Easy enough for Richie Tozier - actor supreme. 

He walked into the guidance counsellor's room, another agent (who looked almost identical to the first) was sitting on one side of the sofa. Richie took the armchair. He’d been in this room twice before - both times the guidance counsellor trying to get him to pay more attention in class. To behave. Both times had been widely unsuccessful. When he was in here last there was a stress ball. That was gone now. The other agent sat down. 

“Richie Tozier?” The second agent started. 

“As he lives and breaths.”

“They said you were a jokester,” the same agent said. “I’m agent Morgan and this is agent Rogers. We just have a few questions for you about the missing children.”

“Kids?” Richie tilted his head. “I thought it was just about Edward?”

Agent Rogers nodded, “him and the others. Do you know who we’re talking about?”

“Edward? The new kid who left like a month ago.”

“Left?”

“Ran away. That’s the rumour or whatever. Booked it back to New York after a week here, can’t I say I blame the kid. Derry fucking sucks. The other rumour is alien abduction but that was started by a crack addict who’s homeless so I don’t know if that counts. Would be cool though.” 

“You do talk a lot,” agent Morgan said. Richie shrugged. “What about the other kids?”

Richie made a face, “I don’t know. Couldn’t list them all. Some of the ones I do know were dicks, didn’t really know the others. I know my mother freaked out and pulled my curfew up an hour because of it.”

“Dicks?”

“Bullies.”

“We’ve had that same description more than once,” agent Rogets commented. Good, Richie thought as the other agent wrote in a little black notebook, that made it easier for them to believe Richie. “Did you know Edward?” 

“No. My friends did. They weren’t friends, they said he made it hard. Standoffish. We wanted to be friends with him. Ben was new here a few years back and it’s hard to break into social circles. Especially when you're like Edward. So Bev and Bill talked to him in their classes and invited him to lunch. He never took up that offer and didn’t talk much. I only saw him once, in the hallway. Not much to report.”

Agent Morgan nodded, “do you know what they talked about?”

“New York, Derry. School. He wanted to leave.”

“Before,” agent Morgan continued, “you said you didn’t blame him for wanting to leave. Can you explain that?”

“Derry sucks. It’s a shit place. Especially for kids like Edward.”

Agent Rogers pursed his lips, “what do you mean, like Edward? You said it twice.” 

“Gay,” Richie replied simply. Both agents did a double-take. And for once in his life, Richie really hoped that these people would be homophobic. Please, he wanted to beg, stop caring about this kid, didn’t you hear that he’s a dirty sinner? That would make this whole thing go so much easier. The two of them still seemed shocked but cleared their throats and put on a passive expression. 

The two agents looked at each other and then agent Morgan spoke: “Well, I think that’s all we need.” Thank god, Richie almost cried. They didn’t care about the runaway gay kid. If they did, they’d have asked more questions. He was handed an FBI card. “If you think of anything else you need to tell us.”

“Thanks,” he said and tipped the card towards them. “Can I go?”

“Yes. You can. And your friends, they can go too, unless they want to talk with us. We have everything that we need from you three. Thank you.” 

Richie stood, not hesitating to stand and leave. Waving at his friends to follow him. They didn’t speak until they reached the hallway and then a bit. Just in case. The three of them stopped in front of a janitor’s closet in an empty hallway. “Crisis averted,” Richie said with a smile. 

“What do you mean?” Beverly asked. 

“Told them he was gay and that he had talked about wanting to leave. They practically chased me out of the room when they found out.”

“What about the m-murdered kids?”

“Asked me if I knew them. Said I knew a few of them and they were bullies. Didn’t ask me anything else. Gave me this handy card though. Might pin it to my wall or something. That’d be nice.”

Bev and Bill looked at each, “so we’re okay?”

“Th-they don’t s-suspect anything?” 

“Don’t know what they suspect,” Richie shrugged. “But I don’t think they care either way.”

“Sorry about the homophobia in the FBI, but I guess it worked out well for you this time.”

Richie grinned. “Exactly. Now, what’s the plan?” 

“We go to class,” Beverly said sternly. “We go to class and pretend that we’re great students and there’s no reason to look at us closely. Just like how we were all present one random Friday a month ago. Understood?”

“Don’t need to go all psycho-mom on me,” Richie muttered. “I got it. We stay in class.”

“What we do afterwards,” Bill continued, “we have to f-figure out later.”

“This is a week for good attendance though. And strong alibis of us spending time in places where other people can see us. Not just a hole in the ground.”

They all nodded at each other. The other Losers would get the same information at lunch and they’d go from there. Richie would stay in class, they’d go to the arcade or movies or something. And then the FBI would be gone. Judging from that integration they would be out of here in no time, chalking it all up to some random killings of a few hated kids and a gay runaway. Common and not worth their time. 

*~*

Mike was standing in front of his truck when school let out. He had parked it directly in front of the exit so the Losers couldn’t miss him. A few kids were staring at him, in a town like Derry a kid like Mike stood out. As soon as he saw the Losers his face lit up. But he didn’t leave his position, just waited for them to get to him. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t come to lunch. There was a cop car parked beside my driveway all day. I think it followed me here.”

“Shit,” Stan said.

“Yeah. I wanted to go to Eddie but it was there when I went out after hearing the news. So I couldn’t leave.”

“Do you know anything else?” Richie asked.

“They’re searching the barrens. Last I heard they went out just after twelve. Said they wouldn’t be done until four-thirty.”

Beverly sighed, “which means we have to wait until four-thirty to see if anything happened.”

“Or sooner,” Richie shrugged, “if they find him and he tells.” The glares his friends sent him made it clear they didn’t find the joke very funny. 

“I thought you guys would want to come over,” Mike continued. 

“At least the p-police will know that we’re not doing anything s-suspicious.”

Richie thought it over. There were three cars between them and like Bev had said, being seen out and about as if everything was normal would be good for them. People who were guilty didn’t go to the store and buy junk food. He said as such to his friends, who agreed and they decided on a plan. Mike and Bill would head back to the farm, Bev and Ben would go to the VHS store while Richie and Stan got snacks. A fun after school hang out between some friends with nothing to hide. All monitored by a police officer, courtesy of the FBI.

The fact that there would be an overhanging sense of anxiety over what was going to happen wasn’t brought up. They all knew that nobody would be calm until later that night. All they could do was hope. It was going to be a long night.

*~*

At the same time the Losers brought their snacks, Eddie sat in the clubhouse. Mike hadn’t visited him and neither Richie nor Bev had come over during lunch. That wasn’t entirely abnormal. Eddie didn’t really think anything of it. He just ate some of the crackers in his snack box and made a note to tell Richie to replace them. He cleaned and listened to music and danced a little. And worked on his puzzle. Slowly, he worked on his puzzle. Still trying to get it back to where it had been before - that.

What was abnormal, however, was the shouting he heard. There was no way of knowing the time but he guessed it was the Losers coming after school. No one else ever came out this way. Although they were never that loud. The tape had just stopped but Eddie made no move to get a new one. Instead, he listened to the world above him. For a moment there was nothing, and Eddie thought that maybe he had heard something that was never there. 

But then it happened again. 

Someone was shouting. 

And they were shouting his name.

“Edward!” That wasn’t Richie or Bev or Bill or any other Loser. They didn’t call for him - they also didn’t sound like fully grown men. Someone was there, looking for him. They called out again. “Edward” 

This had happened before. A man had yelled his name and Richie had pinned him down so he couldn’t yell back. He’d sent himself into a panic and Richie had covered his mouth and whispered that it was going to be okay into his ear. Bev and Bill had held his hands, to stop him hitting, but they had rubbed them and smiled at him. Richie wasn’t here this time. No one was. The yelling was closer now. Eddie looked up at the hatch. All he had to do was yell back. 

Yell and then he could leave. 

The sun would be so bright. Unbearably bright. He didn’t know if he would ever get used to the harsh glare that occurred whenever the door was opened. 

They’d take him back to his mother. And he should want that - had wanted that. The man above him could open the hatch and take him home. To a house that was always cold and dark. Where there was never any warmth, not in the way there was here. He could go to his mother. A mother who left him within weeks of him being gone. Had she even mourned him before packing? Would she even want to see him? 

The yelling was right above him. It was so loud. The man who was trying to take him away from the clubhouse was right there!

He’d never finish his puzzle. He could get himself as many puzzles as he wanted. But he would never finish this one with his friends. They wouldn’t be his friends anymore. They would hate him and he’d have no one again. Eddie looked back at his puzzle. It was such a lovely thing. A piece beside his hand was the one he needed to finish the fence line. A neat and perfect home for each piece. He placed it in its slot.

As he did the yelling got further away. Eddie didn’t have it in him to think about it. He had a puzzle to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was that what you expected?


	17. Chapter 17

That afternoon only Richie came to see him. It was starting to get dark when he turned up, no one had visited him all day. Eddie smiled at Richie as climbed down the ladder. He had missed his friends. Richie smiled back - he always did. 

“Where was everyone today?” 

“Did anything weird happen today?” Richie asked instead of answering. He pulled out a container from his bag. Dinner. “Something abnormal?”

“Yeah, someone was yelling my name.”

“Oh?” Richie said as if he was trying to pry but be casual about it. Eddie saw right through it.

Eddie nodded and accepted the container, which most likely contained his dinner. “They were looking for me. Stood right on the door and yelled for me.”

“What happened?”

“I finished the roof, see?” Eddie pointed to his puzzle. Richie followed his finger, looking down at the puzzle and nodding. The roof was practically unstarted the night before. Eddie had made good progress. He couldn’t wait to show Bev, who hated doing large sections that were all similar colours. Eddie couldn’t help but feel proud of what he had done. Richie looked happy as well, smiling at Eddie. “It’s getting there.”

“You’re doing very well. So you didn’t call the person down here?”

Making eye contact with Richie, Eddie replied. “No. I didn’t. I didn’t want you or the others to be mad at me.”

“Everyone will be very happy that you didn’t.”

“I thought about calling back to them,” Eddie admitted. Richie’s face darkened, scaring him slightly. Not enough to stop. Once Richie understood, then the look would go. “But the more I thought about it the more I understood. What’s there to go back to? My mom is gone, I have no other family or friends. You and the Losers are the only people who have ever actually cared about me. How sad is that?”

Richie sat down beside him, leaning back on the sofa and spreading his arms out. If Eddie leant back, he’d be held by Richie. Eddie lent back. “It’s sad,” Richie agreed as he reached up and began playing with Eddie’s hair. “Very sad. But it doesn’t need to rule your life. And I’m proud of you for not letting it. You stood up for yourself today by not calling back. You stood up for yourself by staying here with us.”

“I did?”

“Of course you did. You’re one brave motherfucker.”

Eddie didn’t reply. The two of them sat in silence for a few moments before Eddie asked a question that had been weighing on his mind. “How long have I been down here?”

“Three and a half weeks.”

“I don’t remember.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just that. I don’t remember. I don’t know how long I’ve been here. The days, especially at the beginning, they become all jumbled up. It’s scaring me.”

Richie nodded slowly. “You don’t need to be scared. Days muddle when they’re similar. It’s not a huge problem, no need to panic.”

“After the man calling my name left I was thinking,” Eddie started to admit softly. “About why I hadn’t called back. The Losers were a reason but I think it was more you.”

The idea of losing them was upsetting but it was Richie’s face that popped up first. It was the worst to think of Richie never seeing him again. Of Eddie being sent away - back to his mother - never to laugh along with the boy who had kidnapped him to keep him safe. It was Richie who Eddie was terrified of losing. And Eddie didn’t know why.

“Me?”

“I didn’t want to lose my friends, but I didn’t want to lose you either. Because you’re not my friend. Not like them.”

Maybe he did know why. Maybe he just didn’t know how he had come to feel like that. 

“I don’t want to lose you either, Eds. I’m glad you’re staying here with me.”

Eddie looked at Richie. Really looked at him. From the very first night, Eddie had found him good looking. With his bright blue eyes and dark messy hair. His clothes were loud and so different that Eddie couldn’t help but be obsessed with them. Richie Tozier was someone that Eddie had never seen before. And he was perfect. Richie had once told him that Eddie had been divinely created for Richie. But he was starting to feel like the reverse was just as true. 

And Richie was so sweet. He did everything to make sure that Eddie was comfortable. There was little doubt in Eddie’s mind that, if he asked, Richie wouldn’t bring Sonia’s head to him on a silver platter. He risked his own life for his friends, to avenge them and make their lives a little better. Richie was one of a kind and where before Eddie could only see the negative he was starting to see the positives of that statement. Richie was one of a kind and Eddie got him. 

He was the only one who every actually _saw_ Eddie. 

Richie was everything that Eddie could possibly want. He just hadn’t known what he wanted at first.

“Are we going to be together forever?”

“Yes, my Eds, we are.” 

“Tell me that you love me. Tell me that you love me more than anyone else.”

“Of course I do. Eddie, I love you more than life itself. You’re perfect and I am in love with you.” 

The only love Eddie had ever felt - pure love, with no pain or expectations or sadness - was in this clubhouse with this boy. He knew that now. He understood that he had been taken for a reason and that Richie had been right. What other option was there? And with that Eddie said, for the first time in his life, “I love you too.”

And then he leant in and kissed Richie. He didn’t know how to kiss or what to do but he didn’t need to. He didn't need that - not with Richie. Richie, who Eddie could feel smiling against his own lips and who reached up to grip Eddie’s hair and control the kiss. Giving Eddie the space to let go. Richie had it. Eddie didn’t need to fear, he didn’t need to worry or stress or anything other than enjoying the feeling of Richie. 

Eddie pulled back, opening his eyes to see Richie grinning up at him. “That was my first kiss.”

“It was a great kiss,” Richie replied before pulling him back down. Eddie went happily. It was a great kiss and if they wanted to keep going why shouldn’t they? 

“Where are the others?” Eddie asked, breathlessly, when they paused and pulled back.

“Home. They’re not coming here today.”

“So we can keep going?”

Richie’s grin widened, he lifted Eddie up and flipped him over. Eddie ending up pinned under Richie, who was quick to move so he was straddling Eddie. It wasn’t the first time he’d been pinned down by Richie but it was the best. The chain rattling as the two of them moved hardly registered in Eddie’s mind. “My love, there are very few things that could get me to stop this right now. The Losers are not one of them.”

Eddie’s giggles were cut off by Richie’s mouth. Eddie didn’t mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter but I hope you liked it!


End file.
